Silent Green Army: Inside the Team Shaping Erbil’s Botanical Identity

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Behind the flourishing gardens, manicured boulevards, and the distinct botanical designs that define Erbil’s urban landscape, stands an entire brigade of “silent soldiers” — the teams of the Directorate of Garden Engineering, who work tirelessly day and night to preserve the city’s green cover and enhance its aesthetic signature.

In its latest episode, Kurdistan24’s program “Sarbazy Wan” (The Unknown Soldiers) revealed the hidden world of these workers, from production nurseries to the public streets they beautify.

The report highlighted the Directorate’s strategy of self-sufficiency, a system built on producing the city’s needs locally rather than relying on external supply.

Agricultural engineer Hawkar Abdulaziz explained: “We are responsible for planting and greeErbil's Directorate of Garden Engineering operates self-sufficient nurseries, producing hundreds of thousands of plants annually to maintain and design the city's distinctive green spaces and sculpted topiary. ning the city, and maintaining the vegetation in medians and public gardens. We operate three main nurseries; one produces 25,000 trees annually, while the others generate between 250,000 and 300,000 seasonal and perennial flowers, in addition to 100,000 to 150,000 trees and shrubs every year — all of which go directly to decorating Erbil’s streets and parks.”

Among the most distinctive elements of Erbil’s urban landscaping is the Directorate’s specialized team dedicated to topiary — the art of sculpting shrubs into expressive forms that reflect the character of their surroundings.

Rebin Ahmed, Director of Garden Engineering, described this philosophy: “We have an artistic team that trims and shapes trees to reflect the identity of each location. Near the airport, we shape them as airplanes; near industrial zones, as cars; in public parks, as animals and birds. This creates a unique visual environment.”

Ahmed emphasized that Erbil’s greening strategy extends far beyond the city center. As the capital expands, thousands of trees are planted annually in new neighborhoods, specifically within areas allocated as gardens in the city’s master plan.

Teams are deployed across all municipal sectors, operating from early morning until the end of official working hours to keep up with development needs.

The episode also paid tribute to several long-serving workers whose commitment has shaped Erbil’s now-recognizable green landscape.
Among them was gardener Farouq Sadiq, who has spent 14 years caring for the city’s plants, and field supervisor Khalid Hassan, who oversees the daily execution of landscaping plans.

The report concluded with the presentation of the “Unknown Soldiers Shield” to the director and staff of Garden Engineering, in recognition of their vital role in preserving the beauty and environmental health of the Kurdistan Region’s capital.