Amman, Oct. 6 (Petra) — The Lower House of Representatives
Environment and Climate Committee, chaired by MP Jihad Abawi, held a
meeting on Tuesday to review measures taken by the Greater Amman
Municipality (GAM) regarding tree removal from sidewalks and its
environmental and urban impact.

The meeting was attended by Minister of Agriculture Saeb Khreisat,
Secretary-General of the Ministry of Environment Omar Arabiyat,
Secretary-General of the Ministry of Local Administration Mohammad
Al-Amoush, and Chairman of the GAM Committee Ahmad Al-Malkawi.

Abawi stressed that the committee is closely following up on actions
taken by relevant authorities to identify implementation mechanisms,
existing gaps, and their effects on the capital’s environmental and
urban identity.

He stated that the committee submitted technical and procedural
recommendations to balance safety requirements and public services
with vegetation preservation. Key recommendations include drafting a
national guide for urban afforestation, requiring technical
assessments before tree removals, prioritizing pruning over removal,
establishing environmental compensation rules, and creating a
database for urban trees, particularly ancient and native species.

Attending lawmakers emphasized the necessity of preserving trees and
green cover while ensuring pedestrian and traffic safety.

Minister Khreisat noted that the Ministry of Agriculture has planted
approximately 4 million trees as part of a national project aimed at
planting 10 million trees to expand and sustain green spaces across
the Kingdom.

GAM Committee Chairman Al-Malkawi pointed out that sidewalks are part
of the public road system and that municipal teams work to remove
obstacles to facilitate pedestrian movement. He explained that
sidewalks narrower than two meters should not be planted with trees
because they obstruct pedestrians.

Al-Malkawi added that GAM designs sidewalks using engineering
standards tailored to each area, noting that specialized municipal
teams comprising agricultural engineers conducted a comprehensive
tree survey that resulted in the removal of around 60 trees.

He further highlighted that GAM is currently planting around 125,000
climate-resilient trees across Amman in cooperation with relevant
ministries and institutions to boost green coverage.

Ministry of Environment Secretary-General Omar Arabiyat emphasized
ongoing coordination with GAM to safeguard the capital’s environment
and urban landscape. He noted that unregulated tree planting by
individuals can negatively impact the environment and public health,
as certain species attract insects and pests.

Ministry of Local Administration Secretary-General Mohammad Al-Amoush
noted that municipal regulations govern sidewalk tree planting to
reflect local conditions, pedestrian needs, and public safety
standards, balancing green expansion with ease of movement.

Omar Al-Shoshan, president of the Jordan Environmental Union,
highlighted the importance of establishing a greenbelt around Amman
utilizing native plant species. He noted that a greenbelt would help
curb urban sprawl, improve air quality, mitigate heat island effects,
enhance biodiversity, and boost climate change resilience.

//Petra// AF