PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forest Department has planned biodiversity knowledge parks to promote forestry and wildlife resources under the Prime Minister Clean and Green Pakistan program and planted 505 million saplings under 10 billion trees afforestation project (10BTAP) till January 31, 2022.
Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, Deputy Project Director, 10 billion trees afforestation project (10BTAP) said that work on 10BTAP was successfully underway in the province where 505 million saplings were planted through farm forestry, enclosures, farmers, departments and general public till January 31, 2022.
Talking to reporter, he said 270 million plants were raised through man-made plantations, 30 million through sowing and dibbling while over 205 million through general public, farmers and farm forestry.
The target of additional one billion saplings would be achieved through natural regeneration in 6,259 enclosures including 2,000 in merged areas spreading over an area of 250,000 hectares and raising of new plantation on 111, 314 hectares in the province.
He said the remaining 495 million saplings would be achieved under 10BTAP in the province by 2023.
Billion Trees Afforestation Project (BTAP) was launched in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in November 2014 under which a record of 1.208 billion saplings were raised with an estimated cost of Rs14.363 billion against the approved cost of Rs19.44 billion, thus Rs5.077 billion was saved for the Government kitty, he added.
Terming BTAP as the world’s 4th biggest plantation project successfully implemented by Pakistan after China, India and Ethiopia, he said the project has increased KP’s forest covered area to 26.6 percent in 2018 against 20 percent in 2013, thus surpassing the 25 percent international forests standard for a country.
Ibrahim Khan said SUPARCO has reported 85 percent positive change detection in forest cover area of KP and 88 percent survival rate of BTAP plantations by the WWF.
Following the success of BTAP, Prime Minister Imran Khan had launched 10 BTAP on September 2, 2018 to plant 10 billion trees in the country including additional one billion seedlings in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by 2023.
Ibrahim Khan said KP’s share in 10 BTAP is Rs27 billion for which Rs13.5 billion each would be provided by the Federal and KP Governments. He rejected the impression of delay of funding for the project.
Spring plantation is underway across province including seven merged tribal districts where over 104.882 million saplings would be planted with assistance of stakeholders under conventional plantation.
As many as 13.026 million seedlings would be sown in southern circle comprising Peshawar, Kohat, Nowshera, Charsadda, Swabi, Kohat, Bannu, D I Khan, Karak, Hangu and 22.246 million in merged tribal districts, 42.315 million in northern forest region-11 Abbottabad of Hazara division and 26.843 million in Malakand division.
Out of these plants, 63.023 million would be planted through departmental plantation, 1.177 million through mass planting viz a viz urban and peri-urban plantation, 29.071 million through farm forestry, 1.744 million through village development committees, 5.552 million by defense forces, 2.652 million by educational institutions besides 4.635 million on 8811 acres through sowing and doubling.
Fruits, ornamental and bees flora plants has been made part of 10BTAP for the first time and over 199.900 million seedlings including 2.8 million fruits plants and three million ornamental plants would be distributed free among general public, organisations, farmers and 24 million in civil society.”
To promote apiculture, he said about one million saplings of berry would be distributed and sown mostly in southern districts of KP.
BONN Challenge, Conference of Parties (Cop-21), World Economic Forum, WWF and IUCN had recognized BTAP under which 10 new jungles including Ghari Chandan Azakhel Mathani Peshawar on 3,000 hectares with 3.2 million plants which is bigger than Changa Manga has been raised.
He said more than 332 plantation events were organized on Plant of Pakistan Day in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
A total of 173 million saplings would be planted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over an area of 95,984 hectares including 70 million in enclosures under Plant for Pakistan.
The plantation target of 540 million plants is set at national level that would be achieved through participation of 750,000 workers and public under Plant for Pakistan.
Ibrahim Khan said Billion Trees Afforestation Support Project (BTASP) was being launch in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with assistance of Germany for sustainable management and protection of forest resources based on effective management information database system and developing participatory forest development plan for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
To this effect, he said a grant agreement worth 13.5 million Euros has been signed with the German Development Bank (KfW) under Pakistan-German Climate and Energy Initiative.
He said BTASP is a six years project under which forest conservation and protection committees would be established initially in 100 villages in KP besides others initiatives to protect the green gold.
The German Government has showed commitment to provide additional €20 million for Phase II of the mega project in KP, he added.
He said 13 persons affiliated with Forest Department including one forester and three forest guards had embraced martyrdom and six others injured in line of duty during BTAP activities.
Similarly, 2.840 million green jobs were provided to people and labourers including to 2,933 women during the project.