Alisher Kadyrov, Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis and leader of the National Revival Democratic Party, has made remarks on Uzbekistan’s growing resistance to urban tree cutting.
He warned that extreme views on logging could push society to «forget religion and start worshipping trees.»
Red Tape Over Trees Sparks Outrage
In a Telegram post, Kadyrov shared his frustration over an incident near his office. A pest-infested tree needed removal. But the process took a year of paperwork.
«When the workers arrived with saws, I couldn’t tell whether to laugh or cry. It felt like they came to execute someone, not cut a dead tree,» he wrote.
Kadyrov added that the phrase «don’t cut trees» should not be misunderstood.
«It should mean: cut only when needed. We protect trees for people. We don’t sacrifice people for trees.» he said.
Focus on Resources, Not Rituals
Kadyrov also called on the public to focus on more urgent issues. These include water, food, energy, land, and national identity.
«If we continue like this, future generations may lose their values,» he said.
Developers Call for Logging Flexibility
Earlier this year, businessman Murod Nazarov urged the government to ease tree-cutting rules in construction. He proposed a system where developers plant new trees to replace those removed.
Environmental Party Pushes Back
The Ecological Party responded through MP Javlon Abdullayev. He said the logging moratorium was introduced to prevent ecological disaster.
In the first half of 2025, the government rejected over 3,200 logging requests, saving more than 453,000 trees. Among them were 86,000 high-value species.
Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that Murad Nazarov, founder of Murad Buildings, has proposed a review of Uzbekistan’s current moratorium on tree cutting.
