Scientists Call Plantation As Living Shield Against Future Floods

On National Tree Plantation Day, officials, scientists, and citizens agree: every tree is more than greenery—it is the nation’s living shield against future floods

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Aug, 2025) On National Tree Plantation Day, officials, scientists, and citizens agree: every tree is more than greenery—it is the nation’s living shield against future floods.

Pakistan woke up this National Tree Plantation Day not just to plant saplings, but to plant shields of survival. In a country where flash floods have swallowed streets, cars, and homes in minutes, officials and citizens now admit that trees are no longer about beauty—they are lifelines standing between the nation and its next disaster.

The urgency stems from recent memory. In July 2021, a cloudburst dumped 116 mm of rain in two hours, flooding neighborhoods and sweeping away vehicles. During the catastrophic 2022 super floods, nearly one-third of Pakistan was submerged, displacing millions. Environmental experts noted that areas with dense tree belts—like riverine forests in Sindh or mangrove cover in the Indus Delta—fared better than barren zones.

Research confirms what lived experience shows. A single mature tree can absorb up to 50 gallons of water daily, while urban forests can cut surface water runoff by nearly 60%. Hill forests in the Margalla range and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa serve as natural barriers against landslides. Yet forest cover in Pakistan remains critically low—just 5%, far below the global average of 31%.

Scientists reinforce this truth. Dr. Gregory Moore, a botanist at the University of Melbourne, explains: “The trees that line our creeks, rivers and floodplains… bind and consolidate soil, stabilising river banks and reducing erosion. This reduces the amount of sediment entering waterway and prevents downstream areas becoming clogged with silt.”

But experts warn planting is only half the battle. A recent forestry survey suggests more than half of saplings die within the first year, often due to neglect. Environmentalists caution that plantation drives may make headlines but have little impact unless communities adopt and care for these trees.

For many citizens, especially those in flood-prone regions, the issue is deeply personal.

Talking to APP, Shazia Bibi, a resident of Barakahu recalled and shared a sad incident of her village Sindh’s Dadu district in year 2022 in which she lost her home in floods. She further told that “If there had been more trees and mangroves, maybe the water would not have destroyed everything so quickly. We don’t need slogans, we need protection.”

Ali Khan, a climate activist reside in Rawalpindi told APP “Planting a tree feels like investing in the future. But it hurts to see saplings die after a few weeks. We must water and protect them—not just plant and forget.”

Abdul Rasheed, a resident of village Shah Allah Ditta in Capital, shared: “When there were more trees around, our fields stayed moist longer and our buffalo had shade and fodder. Now without them, both crops and animals suffer.”

He remarked that agricultural land should be designated for growing crops and plantation. It should not be used for infrastructure purpose.

Scientific studies also confirm that agroforestry — planting trees alongside crops — can increase yields by 20–30% while reducing vulnerability to droughts and floods. It’s a practice gaining slow momentum in Pakistan but seen as vital for sustainable agriculture.The science is unequivocal—and the voices on the ground confirm it: trees don’t just beautify—they save lives. They cool temperatures by up to 5 °C, stabilize fragile soils, and act as nature’s sponges against destructive floods.

Scientific studies also confirm that agroforestry — planting trees alongside crops — can increase yields by 20–30% while reducing vulnerability to droughts and floods. It’s a practice gaining slow momentum in Pakistan but seen as vital for sustainable agriculture.

On this National Tree Plantation Day, the message echoes across the country: don’t just plant a tree—protect it, because Pakistan’s tomorrow depends on it.

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