Pakistan's plan for tackling deforestation: A billion trees

[Tripoli]

The country's hills were once home to endless stretches of pine and fir, but these days Pakistan's forest cover is somewhere below 2 percent. In the United States, that number is roughly 33 percent and in India 23 percent.

In an ambitious plan to counter this deforestation, which ecologists say is a major cause of deadly landslides, the government of a province along Pakistan's restive border with Afghanistan says it is a quarter of the way to a goal announced last year: planting 1 billion saplings. The so-called Billion Tree Tsunami campaign was recognized by the Bonn Challenge, a global partnership of forestry ministries to regain green cover.

Landslides killed 140 this April alone and destroyed hundreds of villages in northern Pakistan. Trees' roots help to keep soil in its place. Without them, hillsides more easily erode, and heavy mountain rain can bring whole slopes down — trees, boulders and all.

“The KP government has committed to not only reversing the high rate of deforestation but also shifting the current philosophy of treating forests as ‘revenue’ machines towards preserving them as valued ‘natural capital,’” Malik Amin, an environmentalist who advises the government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, explained to thethirdpole.net.

"Timber mafias," as well as Afghan refugees and local themselves, have chopped down immense swaths of forest. Many in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (once known as Northwest Frontier Province) don't have electricity, or don't get it regularly, and use wood fires for lighting, cooking and warmth. The so-called mafia refers to those who cut trees without a permit, and allegations that politicians engage in that business are common in Pakistan.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...n-for-tackling-deforestation-a-billion-trees/

 

[Tripoli]

I wish the government had done this sooner.

 

[war&peace]

It is a great step by KPK/PTI and I feel extremely sad that people in Pakistan have such low literacy rate, education, awareness and IQ-level despite a long time campaigne of iodised salt, that they cannot appreciate this enough. Trees are such an important part of the ecosystem that it affect human life each and every moment. People living close the nature are normally calmer than urbanites living inside the concrete jungle. Whenever I visit Lahore or Rawalpindi in Pakistan, I can feel people stressed, irritated and short tempered and, one reason, I think is the lack of greenery and trees thus a person swallowing huge doses of air pollution, heat and noise pollution cannot keep his cool. Though it gets better when I reach my home in ISB surrounded the by greenery and close to margella hill forests.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

If the amount of water is conserved by dam construction we can save so much water to put billion trees as well in Baluchistan

We waste 1-3 Billion gallons of water per year just goes into sea

3,000,000,000 Galons of water

Extra water can turn Baluchistan and barron western frontier GREEN

 

[Tripoli]

If the amount of water is conserved by dam construction we can save so much water to put billion trees as well in Baluchistan

We waste 1-3 Billion gallons of water per year just goes into sea

3,000,000,000 Galons of water

We have been gifted with so many natural resources, yet we still cannot make our country prosper.

 

[haviZsultan]

Its a good step by PTI.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

We could have even constructed 2-3 Artificial Lakes in Baluchistan / Sindh for extra drinkable water
by channeling water out to Artificial Lakes, Releasing excessive water to artificial lakes

However water conservation efforts have been derailed in country

Also if we had ample forest average temperature in Pakistan would drop by 2-3 degrees due to positive effect of trees on environment

• Pakistan Areas of Baluchistan / Sindh are similar to California state
• KPK region is similar to European provinces in Summer time
• Punjab is blessed with rain and greenery

It is really a sad affair that we can't have proper planning for water conservation and forest creation

 

[Dubious]

We could have even constructed 2-3 Artificial Lakes in Baluchistan / Sindh for extra drinkable water
by channeling water out to Artificial Lakes, Releasing excessive water to artificial lakes

However water conservation efforts have been derailed in country

Also if we had ample forest average temperature in Pakistan would drop by 2-3 degrees due to positive effect of trees on environment

• Pakistan Areas of Baluchistan / Sindh are similar to California state
• KPK region is similar to European provinces in Summer time
• Punjab is blessed with rain and greenery

It is really a sad affair that we can't have proper planning for water conservation and forest creation

Water water everywhere yet not a single drop to drink!

It is sad that this quom still hasnt awaken from its slumber of wasting like the kings!

 

[Zee-Gen]

Its a good step by PTI.

It is a good step, but there are other aspects of it as well...........wood is a basic need especially in KPK where, due to terrain, it is not possible to provide gas everywhere........in fact gas is only available til Mansehra city......the whole Hazara division beyond that dependants on wood for cooking and for heat (keep in mind the chilling winter of North and it’s duration)........even in the Abbottabad city, there are so many places without gas.........another thing is, almost everywhere I saw in Hazara division, trees are pine, deodar etc. that are being planted…………these trees will take a lot of time to be mature………so, possibly in our lifetime, we would not see any benefit from these trees………next, there are other commercial uses of wood as well........before IK govt., wood prices are approx 800-1000 Rs. per square foot and now 2500-3000 Rs. per square foot……..to put it simply, a 7 x 4 wood door cost one 3500-4000 before and now 18,000-20,000………now the situation is, due to high demand of the wood, timber mafia is still busy cutting trees, but selling it at very very height rates……at the end, trees are falling and people are suffering…..(there is no other wood avaliable in large scale).

In my opinion, a reserve place for commercial wood with one million trees will serve the purpose……..both for common people, commercial users, and timber mafia as well……about the jungle of pine or fir, they will grow on its own in there due time…….

 

[haviZsultan]

It is a good step, but there are other aspects of it as well...........wood is a basic need especially in KPK where, due to terrain, it is not possible to provide gas everywhere........in fact gas is only available til Mansehra city......the whole Hazara division beyond that dependants on wood for cooking and for heat (keep in mind the chilling winter of North and it’s duration)........even in the Abbottabad city, there are so many places without gas.........another thing is, almost everywhere I saw in Hazara division, trees are pine, deodar etc. that are being planted…………these trees will take a lot of time to be mature………so, possibly in our lifetime, we would not see any benefit from these trees………next, there are other commercial uses of wood as well........before IK govt., wood prices are approx 800-1000 Rs. per square foot and now 2500-3000 Rs. per square foot……..to put it simply, a 7 x 4 wood door cost one 3500-4000 before and now 18,000-20,000………now the situation is, due to high demand of the wood, timber mafia is still busy cutting trees, but selling it at very very height rates……at the end, trees are falling and people are suffering…..(there is no other wood avaliable in large scale).

In my opinion, a reserve place for commercial wood with one million trees will serve the purpose……..both for common people, commercial users, and timber mafia as well……about the jungle of pine or fir, they will grow on its own in there due time…….

A post more knowledgable than me as I do not have any prior experience in wood-cutting or wood business. I would rely on this post for more knowledge however. For my novel Badal I noticed the inavailability of gas and electricity in rural areas of Pakhtunkhwa though but as is common with writers who are relying on second hand accounts I do not know the gravity of the situation though I know the poor in all parts of Pakistan rely on thatch and wood to cook or light fires. I assume you are from a rural area so you are an expert. My knowledge is poor in this regard.

 

[Wolfhound]

It is a great step by KPK/PTI and I feel extremely sad that people in Pakistan have such low literacy rate, education, awareness and IQ-level despite a long time campaigne of iodised salt, that they cannot appreciate this enough. Trees are such an important part of the ecosystem that it affect human life each and every moment. People living close the nature are normally calmer than urbanites living inside the concrete jungle. Whenever I visit Lahore or Rawalpindi in Pakistan, I can feel people stressed, irritated and short tempered and, one reason, I think is the lack of greenery and trees thus a person swallowing huge doses of air pollution, heat and noise pollution cannot keep his cool. Though it gets better when I reach my home in ISB surrouded the by greenery and close to margella hill forests.

Good step indeed but unnecessary and foolish in my opinion. If i had the resources to either plant trees or energy generation projects i would always opt for the latter. We are a developing country and dont have the time or money for such projects. These kind of projects would only be feasible to build after at least decade and thats only if our economy stays on its projected path.

 

[war&peace]

Good step indeed but unnecessary and foolish in my opinion. If i had the resources to either build energy generation projects or plant trees i would always opt for the latter. We are a developing country and dont have the time or money for such projects. These kind of projects would only be feasible to build after at least decade and thats only if our economy stays on its projected path.

Sorry, I can't make any sense from your comment. Please elaborate or correct your language.

 

[Imad.Khan]

Good step indeed but unnecessary and foolish in my opinion. If i had the resources to either build energy generation projects or plant trees i would always opt for the latter. We are a developing country and dont have the time or money for such projects. These kind of projects would only be feasible to build after at least decade and thats only if our economy stays on its projected path.

Didn't get what your mean, Latter means the second option, you said "If i had the resources to either build energy generation projects or plant trees i would always opt for the latter" so latter means plant trees. if thats the case then how can you say its foolish and still prefer to plant trees

 

[Chanakyaa]

Great Step. Congratulations.
Btw, I strongly feel the Natural Beauty of Pakistan is Largely Untapped.

 

[Kermit Roosevelt]

Great Step. Congratulations.
Btw, I strongly feel the Natural Beauty of Pakistan is Largely Untapped.

hopefully we remain that way.
dont want to end with up with hundreds of defecation fields like in India