PESHAWAR, Jan 12: Sustainable forest management is the collective responsibility of people and institutions, but there is a need for clear-cut action plan for conservation of forests, said speakers at a consultative workshop on `Way forward for sustainable forest management`, here on Wednesday.

Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Islamabad, arranged the workshop with the collaboration of National Center for Competent Research (NCCR).

Those who spoke on the occasion included deputy secretary of ministry of environment Shaukat Yousafzai, director general Pakistan Forest Institute Badshah Bukhari, Dr Sultan-i-Room, Prof Khaliq, MPA Jaffar Shah, Sanaullah Khan, Ahmad Jan and representatives of Sarhad Awami Forestry Ittehad (SAFI).

They said that the flash flood of 2010 was not the outcome of deforestation only as many other factors mainly the global warming generated by the industrialisation of the developed countries were also responsible for it.

Provincial minister for forests Wajid Ali Khan said that the forest department alone was not responsible for illegal cutting as many actors, including the local communities, were involved in this illegal practice. He confessed that the policy to ban timber harvesting had backfired.

The minister said that afforestation and conservation of the forests was a dire need of all the regions, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir.

He said that forest cover could be increased with public support. He admitted that there were lacunas in proper implementation of rules.

MPA Jaffar Shah said that forest-related institutions should work for creating awareness among the people and devise effective policy for conservation of forests. He called for stern initiatives by the respective departments against the timber mafia.

Prof Khaliq said that at the time of independence there was 42 per cent forest cover in Azad Kashmir, which had now reduced to 24 per cent because of illegal cutting and no check on timber mafia. He said that timber mafia was very active and stern action was needed for protection of forests. He also suggested plantation of new saplings on all the barren land in the country.

Mr Badshah said that Pakistan Forest Institute had been playing a role in conservation and management of forests keeping in view the emerging environmental realities and climate change. He said that the institution had introduced new courses of sustainable forest management to cope with the effects of climate changes.