Forests and Woodlands Law No. 30 of 2009.

This Law, consisting of 27 articles divided in IV Sections, aims at preventing deforestation to protect waterways and springs. The purpose is to create a balance between protecting the environment and green spaces, on the one hand, and water resources on the other, for being decisive to protect the ecosystem. Main objectives of the Law are: organize the management and protection, maintenance and improvement of forests; increase forests’ surface; improve the environment and fight against desertification and erosion; encourage agricultural investment; preserve the agricultural heritage of Iraq, provide recreational tourist areas and job opportunities. To reach the above mentioned objectives, the Law provides: the Ministry support to natural forests; creation of artificial woodlands and support to the existing ones and to their owners; woodlands development through providing technical supervision and various seedlings to appropriate beneficiaries according to the ministry's plan prices, protecting forests and woodlands in cooperation and coordination with the competent authorities, and inventorying the forests to develop an integrated plan coordinated with the relevant competent bodies.
The provisions of this Law do not include: gardens and parks within the boundaries of the Municipality of Baghdad or other towns; private vegetable gardens; trees and shrubs of cemeteries and holy shrines; all kinds of trees and shrubs in private lands and by the sides of roads in areas not wider than five (5) acres and located within the protective forests. The Law divides in detail forests according to two criteria: 1) property, 2) quality and relevance. It also specifies that trees in private sector forests may not be cut, unless for technical necessity and in return of a fair compensation, if the forest leads to the protection of waterways and springs (Art.9) and indicates: the actions banned without the prior approval of the General Company for Horticulture and Forestry; the locations where livestock grazing is prohibited and penalties for those who violate the Law provisions.
The IV Sections of this Law are entitled as follows: Definitions (I); Objectives, means and applications (II); Kind of forests (III); and Sanctions.