Saudi GazetteThe Security Department of Madinah has announced its cooperation with the Directorate of Agricultural Affairs to curb the chopping of trees in the city and its surrounding areas. Security officials have been assigned various checkpoints to inspect and stop vehicles that contain chopped wood. The unauthorized cutting down of trees is a seasonal problem every winter since many people who live on the outskirts of Madinah rely on burning wood to heat their homes. The strict regulations came in response to the Directorate's order of prohibiting collection of local wood and instead relying on imported wood and coal. Engineer Saleh Al-Lehaidan, President of the Directorate of Agricultural Affairs in Madinah, stated that those who are caught chopping trees will face a penalty of SR500 or a month in jail and if one is caught violating rules second time, a penalty of SR1,000 will be imposed. All impounded wood will be sold and the money will be used for government operations. Cutting down trees is contributing to the deforestation of the Kingdom's landscape. Scientists have linked deforestation with erratic climate changes and global warming. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, so fewer trees means more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which in turn creates a greenhouse effect that leads to a rise in temperatures. Other negative impacts of deforestation include soil erosion which makes it difficult for plants to grow in such nutrient deficient soil. __
