PESHAWAR, Dec 11: The Pakistan Forests Institute (PFI), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Tuesday launched a report, showing a significant 0.3 per cent overall increase in total forest covered areas of Pakistan.

Based on scientific research and using the techniques of latest geographic information system and remote sensing techniques by the experts of PFI, the study, ‘Land Cover Atlas of Pakistan 2012’, was unveiled by KP Minister for Environment and Forests Wajid Ali Khan during a function here at the PFI.

The minister said the KP’s total forest area that was earlier only 17 per cent had now jumped to 20.3 per cent showing a significant increase of 3.3 per cent due to government's effective strategies and regular plantations.

He said the report had proved all the speculations of opponents regarding deforestation and reduction of forest area in KP as wrong.

Mr Wajid Ali underscored the need for its continuation with regular intervals for preparation of management plans.

He said climate change and global warming had posed great threats to environment and this positive effort of PFI would help give boost to the global and regional efforts to tackle these issues on scientific basis.

The minister said the study would provide a guideline for researchers and students in future and directed the officials to inform masses about its significance.

Covering all the 145 districts, tribal agencies and frontier regions of the country, the study provides reliable digital baseline information about the country’s natural and forest resources and forests and tree covered areas.

The study shows that the total covered forest area of Pakistan is 5.1 per cent against the Forestry Sector Master Plan (FSMP) report of 4.8 per cent conducted in 1992, thus showing an increase of 0.3 per cent in present time.

“The total forest covered area of Pakistan, excluding alpine pastures, farmland trees and linear plantation, is 5.1 per cent whereas Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir, Fata/Frontier Regions and Islamabad have forest cover on 20.3, 2.7, 4.6, 1.4, 4.8, 36.9, 19.5 and 22.2 per cent, respectively,” the report said.

As per the study, the KP forest cover extends over an area of 1.51 million hectares, Punjab 0.55 million hectares, Sindh 0.66 million hectares, Balochistan 0.50 million hectares, Gilgit-Baltistan 0.34 million hectares, AJK 0.44 million hectares, Fata and Frontier Regions 0.53 million hectares and Islamabad 0.22 million hectares, respectively. —APP

Opinion

Editorial

‘Source of terror’
Updated 29 Mar, 2024

‘Source of terror’

It is clear that going after militant groups inside Afghanistan unilaterally presents its own set of difficulties.
Chipping in
29 Mar, 2024

Chipping in

FEDERAL infrastructure development schemes are located in the provinces. Most such projects — for instance,...
Toxic emitters
29 Mar, 2024

Toxic emitters

IT is concerning to note that dozens of industries have been violating environmental laws in and around Islamabad....
Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...