Billions Trees Afforestation Project (BTAP Restores 600,000ha Forests, Enhances KP's Forests Area By 6.3pc: PD

Billions Trees Afforestation Project (BTAP), a flagship project of PTI Government has restored 600,000 hectares of forests besides increasing KP's forests covered area by 6.3 percent during last four years that would help counterbalance the growing effects of climate change and global warming in the region

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Oct, 2018 ) :Billions Trees Afforestation Project (BTAP), a flagship project of PTI Government has restored 600,000 hectares of forests besides increasing KP's forests covered area by 6.3 percent during last four years that would help counterbalance the growing effects of climate change and global warming in the region.

Project Director BTAP, Muhammad Tehmasip Khan told APP that owing to massive plantation successfully completed under BTAP, over 600,000 hectares of forests and degraded lands were restored during last four years in KP.

Terming it the most successful afforestation project under which over one billion plants were planted during 2014-2018, he said, it helped fighting climate change by sequestering forest carbon of over 0.04Giga ton of CO2.

Around 400 million plants were planted on private lands by Forest Department with cooperation of stakeholders and public and more than 600million were raised through forests enclosures in different districts with over 85pc survival rate, he maintained.

More than160 million plants were distributed among farmers and general public free of cost were planted on agriculture lands, canals side and open places under farm forestry scheme.

In view of enormous benefits of BTAP model, the Federal Government has started Plant for Pakistan in line with policy of Prime Minister Imran Khan to make Pakistan's lush green.

"We are ready to provide technical assistance and share our rich experiences of 'BTAP Model' with all provincial governments to help them in plantation of billions of trees under Plant for Pakistan," Tehmasip said.

The project has not only controlled high temperature in southern districts but also provided jobs to over 500,000 people directly and indirectly," he said, adding people in BTAP's areas will get carbon credits from donor agencies for their cooperation.

The BTAP project has been extended for next two years and would be completed by June 2020, he said.

He said plantations has been monitored through a Third Party validation ie WWF that endorsed 125pc achievements besides receiving appreciation certificates from BONN Challenge, IUCN and World Economic Forum and membership from Asian Protected Areas Partnership. COP (Conference of Parties) 21 Organization that works under UN had declared KP best for forestry, which was great honour for Pakistan.

Work on BTAP was formally started after inauguration of Green Growth Initiative (GGI) on February 9, 2014 by Imran Khan on the recommendations of task force chaired by former Chief Minister KP Pervez Khatak.

The Govt. strategy to hire services of local youth for Negahban force (Caretaker) to protect enclosures and young plantations remained highly successful as it gave monetary incentives and sense of ownership to local communities, he concluded.