'Stakeholders need to be on one page to devise policy'

A four-day Training of Trainers was held in collaboration with National REDD+ Office, MoCC, FPI and SDPI on Thursday

ISLAMABAD: As timber smuggler continue to fell forests in the northern regions, the forestry sector in the country has received a boost after getting special training, vision and approach on preserving and promoting forests in the country.

This was stated by speakers at the closing session of a four-day Training of Trainers (ToTs), held in collaboration with National REDD+ Office, Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC), Pakistan Forest Institute (FPI) and SDPI on Thursday.

Inspector General Forests Mahmood Nasir said that all the provinces will be working together on preserving forests in the country. He added that stakeholders including the academia and communities linked with forestry will also be taken aboard to devise a policy along with determining actions and measures for improving the sector.

Pakistan Forest Institute DG Dr Hakim Shah, noted that the training will not only help forest officials and staff from all the provinces to preserve forests while applying their newly-gained knowledge and skills but would also play a key role in uplifting socio-economic conditions of communities at local level.

Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, executive director of SDPI, noted that it was high time that all policymakers — at the federal and provincial levels —come onto one page, especially when devising policies for preserving of forests.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 20^th, 2017.