For Tashkent residents, trees have been a painful topic since 2009, when century-old plane trees were cut down in Amir Timur Square — a beloved landmark and a symbol of the city center. Since then, illegal deforestation has continued sporadically, while new trees are planted merely for show. Most of them fail to take root and wither under the scorching, arid climate.
At the same time, the city is rapidly developing, with new buildings constantly under construction. The resulting dust clouds blanket the city center, while greenhouses and factories operate without proper filtration. In winter, PM2.5 particles further suffocate the air, often pushing Tashkent to the top of global pollution rankings — outpacing even Delhi and Lahore by a staggering margin.
Photographer Maksim Makarov and I decided to create a small photo project using the backdrop of construction banners adorned with images of fir trees. These painted trees, in our view, serve as a striking and painful metaphor for the state of the city's ecology today.
