SCN To Launch Autumn Plantation Drive To Mitigate Impacts Of Heatwave, Climate Change

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Aug, 2023 ) :Sarhad Conservation Nature (SCN), a non-governmental organization striving for conservation of environment, culture and heritage, has planned organizing an Autumn Plantation Drive in order to play its part in mitigating the impact of increased heatwave and climate change on the population of Peshawar.

Titled as `Adopt a Tree Campaign', the plantation drive will start after August 14 and a number of organizations and individuals will participate in the drive.

The decision in this regard was taken during an online meeting arranged by SCN's Convener, Dr. Adil Zareef wherein people from different walks of life including experts in Forestry, Botanists, environmentalists and media persons participated and gave their input for making the drive successful.

The meeting discussed as how and where to execute the plantation drive, suitable species, no of saplings needed, sources & links on how to aquire these on time as well as logistics of carrying on the plantation exercise in selected clusters in partnership & support of local communities After the discussion a number of participants made pledge of taking part in the plantation drive besides donating thousands of indigenous trees mostly chir pines.

Ms. Shamsa of IRC (International Red Cross) apprised the participants of the online meeting that IRC would hold a consultative meeting on 10th August on the logistics of the drive in 3 districts, including Peshawar, and would involve community stakeholders & religious leaders for future environmental interventions.

Dr. Asad Ullah, Director Botanical Garden, Azakhel University of Peshawar, volunteered to donate 50 Sukh Chain plants & 10 indigenous chir pine trees.

He suggested a task force for autumn plantation drive. Also, the Botanical Garden vehicle will be available to transport saplings from nursery to selected locations.

Tariq Ali Shah, DFO Kohat informed that the TMA & District government should be involved in this drive for the follow up on caring responsibilities trees planted.

Aurangzaib Khan, a journalist, advised structured community mobilisation and engagement of local government in the drive for sustainability.

He identified university road & ring road shopping areas, father's colony near airport for plantation drive; & engagement with local communities for sustainability. He suggested indigenous species like Neem, Bikyarrana, Sukh chan trees etc.

Augustine Jacob, a representative from Christian community, offered support of Christian youth volunteers in the autumn campaign drive.

He advised to request support from the cantonment board & PDA in the plantation drive. He also demanded approximately 250 indigenous species for plantation in Gora Qabristan & Falcon colony graveyard.

A suggestion was also presented for involvement of community elders, religious scholars also from minority community to attract maximum number of people in the upcoming Autumn Plantation Drive.

The meeting decided that indigenous plants including Pinus roxburghii (Chir Pine), Platanus orientalis (Chinar), Bombax ceiba (Simal), Dalbergia sissoo (Sheesham),. Azadrachta indica (Neem), Syzigium cummni (Jaman), Morus alba (Mulbery/Toot), Albizziq lebbeck (Sreekh),Bauhinia variegata (Kachnar) and other will be planted in the drive.