Iraq’s Nineveh revives chamomile flower planting around historic sites

Shafaq News– Nineveh

Nineveh’s Directorate of Antiquities and Heritage launched an initiative on Sunday to reintroduce the chamomile flower after several seasons of absence to preserve the heritage and environmental landscape of archaeological sites in Mosul, northern Iraq.

The department’s director, Ruwaid Al-Layla, told Shafaq News that the initiative aims to protect areas surrounding heritage sites, particularly locations that have turned into informal waste dumps in recent years. Planting the flower, he noted, helps restore the value of these areas, improves their environmental and aesthetic appearance, and supports public awareness of the importance of protecting cultural heritage.

Last December, Iraq’s Environmental Statistics Department reported that 69% of the Iraqi population outside the Kurdistan Region lacked access to waste collection and transportation services in 2024, adding that most temporary waste collection sites operate without environmental approval.

Read more: Waste in Iraq: a significant untapped resource lacking investment