In 1983, I was an employee of the Jalalaqsi Reforestation Project (JRP) as a Social Science Field Assistant working under an American Social Scientist, Ralph Ted Field, who is now an accomplished scholar in a highly regarded university. It was at that time, that I made a list of the trees that grew along the banks of the Shebelli River and the plant species we planted to overcome deforestation.

Before the arrival of hundreds of thousands of refugees from the Somali region of Ethiopia, after the Ogaden War of 1977/78, Jalalaqsi and its surroundings enjoyed lush green vegetation and various fauna and flora that created a beautiful scenery.The newly-arrived refugees denuded the soil of its vital nutrients by cutting down trees for construction, for fodder, and for firewood.

Around Jalalaqsi, a creeping sand dune was wrecking havoc and causing blinding sandstorms especially during the windy seasons. The organization that was contracted to do the work was Africare Incorporated. Its headquarter is Washington, D.C. It was a contract agreement between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Wasaaradda Dhirta iyo Daaqa (Somali Ministry of Forestry and Rangelands).