ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Coordinator on Climate Change, Romina Khurshid Alam, emphasized the importance of involving communities in tree plantation efforts for effective forest conservation and management.
According to a press statement from the Climate Change & Environmental Coordination Ministry, she highlighted that the well-being of local communities is closely linked to the health of the forests they rely on.
Alam explained that local communities possess traditional knowledge and practices that contribute to sustainable forest management. When empowered with this knowledge and a sense of ownership, these communities can play a crucial role in enforcing conservation, managing natural resources, and protecting biodiversity.
“Community-based forest management practices in various Asian countries demonstrate that, when communities are strengthened and given responsibility, they become frontline defenders of forests against illegal activities such as logging, poaching, and land grabbing. They also play a vital role in monitoring, reporting illegal activities, and advocating for forest protection,” she stated.
In light of the success of community-based forest management, the Upscaling Green Pakistan Programme (UGPP) has launched an ambitious tree plantation campaign in partnership with the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP). This initiative spans all provinces, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan, with the goal of enhancing tree cover across the country.
Khurshid Alam explained that the collaboration aims to leverage BISP’s extensive nationwide network of financial aid beneficiaries to actively participate in tree plantation activities. “Involving a large number of BISP beneficiaries in these activities will promote environmental stewardship and contribute to a greener Pakistan,” she noted.
She also highlighted the active participation of women beneficiaries and their families in tree plantation activities on Plant for Pakistan Day, which was celebrated on Pakistan’s 77th Independence Day.
Alam added that a comprehensive plan has been developed in consultation with BISP to enhance collaboration between forest officials and BISP representatives across all provinces, AJK, and Gilgit-Baltistan. This plan includes the collection and distribution of tree saplings to BISP beneficiaries for planting in their communities and surrounding forest areas.
