Despite government ban, tree-felling persists across Egypt

In the heart of the countryside, once lush and verdant, the landscape now groans from trees felled by merciless deforestation. Despite a prime minister’s decree banning it, the crime of indiscriminate logging continues to spread across several governorates. Along the Mit Ghamr–Banha road, Al-Masry Al-Youm on Saturday observed two vehicles loaded with freshly cut tree trunks. Although they passed through security checkpoints at Sarhagt al-Kubra and Kafr Shukr, no one stopped the vehicles to inquire about the origin of the timber or its destination. The trucks eventually turned onto a secondary agricultural road before reaching the regional highway. Local citizen, Mohamed Shaaba spotted a vehicle on the Mansoura road carrying a large quantity of felled trees. He posted a photograph on his personal social media page, commenting: “Right now, on Mansoura–Aga road, there is a truck loaded with cut trees—and no one is asking where they came from or where they are headed!” A timber merchant in Qalyubiya, Saeed al-Sayed, confirmed that trees cut down in the Gharbiya, Daqahliya, and Qalyubiya governorates are being transported to charcoal kilns scattered throughout the villages of Mit Ghamr and Kafr Shukr. The charcoal produced there is intended for export—a trade that intensifies during winter months. Currently, these kilns are operating at full capacity to produce charcoal before the onset of the rainy season, Sayed said. He added: “Every year, during September and October, charcoal kilns become active, and trees are cut down—both in fruit orchards and along some streets. This year, however, social media has fueled public outrage.” In the Gharbiya Governorate, many residents, from the village of Dima (in the Kafr al-Zayat district), the city of Tanta, and the villages of Mahallat Marhoum and Barma in the Tanta area, have complained about the ongoing felling of trees and the destruction of greenery across various areas in these and neighboring villages. A resident of Tanta, Mohsen Ramadan, remarked: “The state is making efforts to stop the tree-cutting by filing official reports, but those responsible carry out their work at night, evading the notice of the authorities.” An official source at the Ministry of Local Development and Environment said that the minister has issued strict orders to the governors to crack down on the indiscriminate felling of trees and to address any violations. These instructions include seizing vehicles loaded with cut trees, verifying the origin of the timber, and holding those responsible for the felling, as well as those in charge of the area where it occurred, accountable. The source added: “According to the minister’s directives, no tree may be cut down without a permit. Vehicles transporting such trees must carry a copy of the permit; anyone failing to produce one will face legal action.” He noted that there is a ministerial initiative underway to introduce urgent amendments to the Environmental Law. These amendments aim to explicitly criminalize indiscriminate and unregulated tree-felling. Furthermore, efforts are being directed toward a reforestation drive , which includes implementing a plan to double vegetation cover and expand green spaces across all governorates, a move intended to improve environmental quality and bolster the state’s efforts in addressing climate change. The Cairo Governorate issued a statement encouraging citizens to plant trees in front of their own homes and shops, while ensuring a spacing of four to five meters between each tree. Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm The post Despite government ban, tree-felling persists across Egypt appeared first on Egypt Independent .