ISLAMABAD : Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi launched Spring Tree Plantation Drive 2023 on Monday.
The event was organized by the University Green Office in collaboration with the Green Youth Movement Club of the University and the Department of Forestry & Range Management, said a news release.
Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Dr. Qamar-uz-Zaman along with Dr. Ahmad Al-Mallahi, Industry Research Chair, Dalhousie University, Canada, Mr. Saqib Mehmood, Chief Conservator Forests, North Rawalpindi and Dr. Nasim Iqbal Butt, Conservator of Forest, Potohar Circle kicked-off the campaign by planting trees of Chir (pine) in the University.
The Registrar of the University along with Deans/Directors and faculty members participated in the event.
Addressing the ceremony, Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Qamar-uz-Zaman said that trees provide life to all living beings and their significance needed to be highlighted to increase the number and conservation. He also appreciated enthusiasm about the current plantation drive organized by the University Green Office. He emphasized that all of us should participate in this mega drive to make a Clean and Green Pakistan.
Dr. Ahmad Al-Mallahi, Industry Research Chair, Dalhousie University, Canada said that trees were the only source of producing oxygen in the environment and they helped to reduce the level of CO2.
“As we all know that the whole world is facing the problem of global warming and to recover from such problems, planting trees has become one of the few important options,” he remarked.
Saqib Mehmood, Chief Conservator Forests, North Rawalpindi said that we must plant trees so that we could provide a better environment to our upcoming generations. He further said that emerging trends of urbanization were contributing to pollution, and we need to revisit our priorities about climate.
Dr. Nasim Iqbal Butt, Conservator of Forest, Potohar Circle highlighted that the spring season provided an unprecedented opportunity to plant as many trees as possible all over the country for dealing with various environmental problems.
Director University Green Office and Focal Person for Green Youth Movement, Dr. Shahid Ali Khan said that environmental pollution and temperature were increasing every day due to the highest deforestation rate in the country.
“Trees can serve as a green shelter during extreme climate conditions thus making earth cooler for animal and human life,” he added.
He further said that as a national mandate and in compliance with the Government’s instructions regarding clean and green Pakistan, the university Green Office under the Green Vision of the Vice Chancellor had chalked out a comprehensive program to make this tree plantation campaign a success.