Do we really think of sustainable development? Shaki district's diminishing wild greeneries.

How one touch such beauty and aim to use it extensively for the commercial purposes? These photos are taken in nearby villages (Junud, Bigeyiz) of Shaki district, Azerbaijan. These untouched, pristine areas have rich biodiversity and  lush various herbs, wild fruits, living habitat. The most commons are barberry, sea-buckthorn and many others. The most common living species not to go on further would be rabbits, wolves, bears and many more.  Here, nature is balancing and recovering itself. 

wild barberry

untouched areas, as of November 2019

rich soil

untouched areas as of November 2019

But unfortunately, private company started to excavate the greenery and close to 1000 hectares areas has been cleaned off and the process is still ongoing. They plan to use to the area for planting  hazelnut trees for commercial usage. Without any scientific approach, proper calculation of damages imposed on nature and local economy, the mass chopping down of trees and bushes is planned to cover close to 5000 hectares areas. This can cause, loss of habitat, intrusion to water cycle and many more. Constant need of watering hazelnut trees can be ecological calamity for Azerbaijan. This is because, Azerbaijan has freshwater scarcity and further uncalculated demand of freshwater in agriculture, industries, growing households is something we should worry about, given the number of only 3% of Earth water is freshwater.

remnants of treess

paved ditches

Excavators are working

'cleaned up' from trees and bushes

Before any actions are taken on the ground, all the assessments is to be made beforehand and scientific and public participation in this process is essential. 
As living beings we need to survive, meet our basic needs. Meantime, one needs basic survival and other's to make a profit, other words to add up to the wealth. In the era of when everyone is talking about climate change, all types of environmental pollution chopping of trees, greenery is something out  mind and yes it is still happening. When some groups, parts of community makes a profit on this case, by chopping of greeneries, you won't get sustainable results for a long term period.  The way economies built, people used to do should change. Should change,because  as bad as it sounds are on the bring of ecological collapse as world citizens.

Still there is hope