To overcome de-forestation and for the improvement of rangeland, the provinces must coordinate for the common cause of tree plantation every year, Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) Chairman Dr Iftikhar Ahmad said on Wednesday.
He added that trees were the most precious gift of God to mankind.
“As the population grows at a rate of 2.8 percent and cities continue to become congested, the need for open spaces, parks, and garden is increasingly being felt,” he said.
“The influence of trees in the form of purified air, clean water, rest and recreation, scenic enjoyment, reduced noise levels were being fully appreciated,” he said.
He said due to the present situation of rangeland conversion into agriculture and due to the degradation in our country, we must restore our rangeland not only for our livestock but also for our environment in the country.
It was a resource much more superior to other bounties and blessing because not only was it renewable, it also made a very healthy contribution towards the improvement of the environment.
“The importance of forests was immense in Pakistan, which has arid and hot climate in over more than 70 percent of its area and where the percentage of forest area is 4.8 Percent,” the chairman said.
NARC Director (RRI) Dr Muhammad Islam briefed in detail the importance of this tree plantation campaign and NARC DG Dr Muhammad Sharif also planted a tree. Members of PARC and other senior officers of PARC and NARC were also present on the occasion.
