Going green: People urged to help turn tree plantation into a trend

Conservator highlights role of trees in preventing environmental degradation


APP August 13, 2018
PHOTO: REUTERS

RAWALPINDI: The Forests Department Rawalpindi South Circle has distributed over 200,000 saplings while nearly 1.6 million saplings of different species have been made available at 13 nurseries of the circle.

This was disclosed by the Rawalpindi South Circle Forests Conservator Saqib Mahmood.

He informed that all out efforts are being made to make the Monsoon Tree Plantation Campaign a success. In this regard, he said that nearly 100,000 saplings have been provided to different units of the military while thousands of saplings have been distributed among schools, colleges and health department during this season. Due to effective awareness campaigns, the trend of planting saplings is increasing and citizens have started playing their due role.

Plants of different species are available at the nurseries of the Forest Department at the price of Rs8 each. He said the department will plant nearly 5.5 million saplings during Monsoon season in South Circle. Divisional forest officers and others concerned have been directed to plant maximum saplings with the help and cooperation of civil society, officials and students during the campaign. The Conservator highlighted that it is the need of the hour to increase the forest area by accelerating the speed of the plantation process adding, the government could not achieve the task alone and the public’s participation in this regard would help improve the situation substantially.

On the directives of the authorities concerned, a comprehensive plan of massive tree plantation has been evolved to bring the maximum area under forest cover which is a basic requirement to overcome environmental degradation, he added.

He said the forests play an important role in supporting and maintaining ecological systems and cycles. The forests contribute to the many complex processes that are responsible for recycling carbon and water.

They also regulate water flows and prevent soil erosion, he added. The South Circle Rawalpindi had also planted 1.2 million saplings in Rawalpindi South, Jhelum and Chakwal districts nearly 107 per cent against the 1.12 million target set for the Spring Tree Plantation Campaign 2018. The conservator said that the citizens should also plant maximum saplings to enhance forests and trees which would help control the problems of environmental pollution due to the rapidly rising population.

"We are trying to create awareness about the importance of all types of forests. We encourage citizens to undertake efforts to organise activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns," he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 13th, 2018.

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