KP Forest Dept To Plant 41.194m Saplings During Monsoon: Conservator

Forest Department Khyber Pakthunkhwa has chalked out a comprehensive plantation plan to plant about 41.194 million saplings of different species during monsoon campaign to offset growing challenges posed by climate change

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Jul, 2021 ) :Forest Department Khyber Pakthunkhwa has chalked out a comprehensive plantation plan to plant about 41.194 million saplings of different species during monsoon campaign to offset growing challenges posed by climate change.

Gulzar Rehman, Conservator Southern Circle, Forest Department KP told APP on Monday that 153.591 million seedlings have been grown in the forest department nurseries out of which 41.194 million saplings were fit monsoon plantation in Khyber Pakthunkhwa.

He said 29.757 million saplings would be planted through departmental plantation including 14.046 million in merged areas, 2.499 million through mass planting events, 4.370 million through farmers, 385,000 through village developmental committee (VDCs) and 3.431 with help of defense forces of Pakistan.

Conservator said 7,51,000 saplings would be planted through educational institutions, government departments and others institutions while sowing and dibbling on 2338.32 acres with 1.230 million would be carried out on suitable sites in KP.

To achieve these gigantic targets, he said private sector are being engaged in maintaining inventories of trees in their premises while 30 sites were selected 10 for each region for Miyawaki plantation where 4,000 plants to be sown in each Miyawaki site.

He said 120,000 plants would be planted under Miyawaki drive besides fruits trees plantation in parks and one percent of all developmental initiatives should be allowed for trees plantation by all line departments. He said five percent of all commercial building structures should be allocated for trees plantations.

Conservator Gulzar Rehman said efforts would be made to increase plantation targets to 170 million keeping in view of the enhanced fit planting stock to be received from nurseries during the next three months and assisted natural regeneration.

Out of 170 million, he said, efforts would be made to increase plantation targets to 61 million while 109 million saplings would be raised through assisted natural regeneration with help of forest enclosures during monsoon.

Under 10 billion trees afforestration project (10BTAP), he said 6,250 forest enclosures, raising of new plantation on 111,314 hectare, sowing and dibbling on 25,600 hectare and range management on 5,000 hectare would be achieved besides free distribution of 199.900 million plants, 2.800 million fruits' plants and three million ornamental plants in the province.

While terming BTAP as the world's fourth biggest plantation drive, after China, India and Ethiopia, he said this mega project has been globally recognized in fight against climate change. "BONN Challenge commitment of restoring and rehabilitating degraded forests and raising new plantation over 3,48,000 hectare, has been surpassed and BONN Challenge through IUCN has certified the achievements." Gulzar Rehman said additionally 252,000 hectare forest restoration pledge of KP government has been officially accepted by BONN Challenge in its meeting held in Brazil in March 2018. He said Asian Protected Area Partnership, World Economic Forum, Conference of Parties (COP-21), WWF and IUCN has also recognized BTAP which was a big honour for Pakistan.

To ensure transparency and effective plantation of afforestration activities carried out under monsoon trees plantation campaign, he said, vigorous monitoring at divisional forest officers, conservators and chief conservators level being conducted besides project management unit monitoring .