PESHAWAR, Feb 06 (APP):Forests have long played an indispensable role in maintaining ecological balance, ensuring the sustainability of local climates, and mitigating the harmful effects of climate change.
As carbon sinks and regulators of water cycles, forests prevent soil erosion, provide habitats for wildlife, and filter pollutants, contributing to a healthy and stable ecosystem worldwide.
Recognizing the pivotal role forests play, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forest Department has developed a comprehensive strategy to expand the province’s forestry cover, with a major focus on bringing non-productive lands under forests during the upcoming spring season.
From the fertile plains of Khyber to the mountainous terrain of Kohistan and the rugged landscapes of Waziristan to Chitral, the Plant for Pakistan campaign are being launched across the province.
This ambitious program invites farmers, the general public, and forest department officials to actively plant trees of diverse species to rejuvenate the land imperative to combat desertification and deforestation.
In addition to national building departments, students across the province will also engage in the campaign, with thousands of saplings to be planted in schools, universities, and other community spaces.
Ibrahim Khan, Deputy Project Director of the 10 billion trees program, emphasized the significance of the spring plantation initiative. He said the program would focus on farm forestry, mass plantation, and the rehabilitation of existing forest resources.
Through this campaign, he aims to reforest vast tracts of land in KP to combat deforestation and climate change.
Pakistan, particularly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan, has been facing an alarming rate of forest depletion.
According to the National Forest Policy 2018, the country was losing an estimated 27,000 hectares of forest annually, predominantly in community and private lands.
Ibrahim said Pakistan is one of the top 10 countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, a fact underscored by the devastating 2022 floods.
The inadequate rains and snowfalls are also caused by deforestation and air pollution in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In response to the growing threats posed by climate change and deforestation, the government launched the first phase of the Billion Trees Afforestation Project (BTAP) in 2014 under the Green Growth Initiative (GGI).
Ibrahim said this initiative focused on six key sectors: forestry, protected areas, national parks, clean energy, climate resilience, sanitation, and water management.
The afforestation campaigns have now extended to merged tribal areas, enabling the utilization of vast land resources for plantation purposes. Since 2017, the provincial government has invested approximately Rs. 675 billion to protect and promote forest resources in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
As a result, 26.7% of the province’s land area is now covered in forests, surpassing international standards for forest coverage.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is home to 37% of Pakistan’s total forest cover, spanning over 37,000 square kilometers. The province accounts for nearly 40-45% of the country’s forests, which play a critical role in absorbing approximately 50% of Pakistan’s carbon emissions.
He said that an annual budget of Rs. 322 billion is required to protect forests of this scale. Despite the financial commitment, the province’s forest reserves also present significant commercial potential.
Beneath the forested land lies a wealth of untapped minerals and agricultural resources, which could generate an annual revenue of Rs. 215 billion if harnessed effectively.
Moreover, the province’s carbon credits are valued at approximately Rs. 100 billion per year. The efforts under the Plant for Pakistan campaign have already resulted in the creation of over 175,000 green jobs, directly contributing to the local economy and environmental sustainability.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has undertaken multiple large-scale irrigation and plantation projects to further enhance the province’s agricultural productivity.
Notably, the plantation project around the Chashma Right Bank Canal (CRBC) aims to bring 300,000 acres of barren land under cultivation.
Additionally, the Mohmand Dam Canal, a Rs. 5 billion project, will facilitate the cultivation of over 200,000 acres of land.
The need to address climate change, Ibrahim Khan stressed, is a global issue requiring collective efforts.
The Plant for Pakistan initiative is an essential part of Pakistan’s response to this growing challenge, aiming to safeguard the environment for future generations and pave the way for sustainable development in the face of climate change.
As the campaign progresses, it is clear that the Plant for Pakistan initiative represents not just a response to climate change, but a long-term, sustainable approach to ecological preservation, economic development, and environmental resilience in Pakistan.
The experts urged masses to plant maximum plants as they can during spring to bring rains and snowfalls besides combat air pollution in the country.
