Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to plant 5.113 million saplings

The Forest Department of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will plant 5.113 million saplings of different species in the current monsoon tree plantation campaign in the province. The department is giving special focus on tree plantation in Malakand, Hazara circle and southern districts of the province.
The Department has sent the required number of saplings stock to all Stakeholders, including government departments, defence forces, NGOs, educational institutions, watershed areas, farmers and Forest Department across the province to make KP lush green.
The province has been divided into six circles namely Southern, Lower Hazara, Upper Hazara, Terbella Watershed, Malakand East and Malakand West wherein 2.183 million, 1.240million, 0.542million, 0.225million, 0.657million and 0.266million saplings would be planted with the help of different institutions and stakeholders, respectively.
As many as 0.058million saplings would be grown by Village Development Committees (VDCs), 0.306million by defence forces, 0.115million educational institutions, 0.469million the farmers and general public, 0.262million by the NGOs, while 3.903 million plants by Forests Department. He informed that KPK to combat desertification, global warming and climate change.
To ward off effects of floods and soil erosion, he said old strategy of utilising planting stocks has been changed from traditional planting procedure. Organisations and NGOs with high human and funds resources coupled with their personal interests is being encouraged in the plantation campaign, he said, adding special focus are being given on local communities and individual farmers through their respective VDCs to carryout most of the plantation during the monsoon drive, adding that farmers and growers is being facilitated.
The experts on forestry has been requested to give special lectures on the subject over Radio and TV talks shows to create awareness among masses about its importance in the promotion of socio-economic development. Collective plantations are being organised through district governments with participation of elected representative, line agencies and local farmers to make the drive a success.
Student Awareness Programme has also been launched wherein Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) and Range Forest Officers (RFOs) would visit educational institutions to make aware the school children about the utility of the campaign. Former LG representatives, nazims and councillors and Ulema have been requested to give special lectures about importance of trees and their effects on human lives. He said Directorate of Community Development and Extension Forest Department has been assigned the task to co-ordinate extension and awareness programme through field staff at different stations.
Asked about last spring plantation campaign, the official said that Forest Department has planted 9.709million against seven millions set target given by government. He said free of cost saplings would be given to armed forces, while government departments, public and farmers will get each sampling at the rate of Rs 5.