ISLAMABAD, Jan 29: The national spring tree plantation campaign will kick off on February 8 during which 53.35 million saplings would be planted throughout the country.

It was decided in the Inter-Provincial Committee (IPC) meeting held here on Saturday that 20 million saplings would be planted in the Punjab, 8.5 million in Sindh, one million in Balochistan, 5 million in AJK and 8.7 million saplings in Fata.

Development authorities at district level, civic agencies, public and private sector organisations, government ministries and departments, NGOs, academic institutions as well as public will be associated in the campaign.

Last year's devastating floods have resulted in environmental damage, heightened environmental health risks and have affected forests, wetlands and other natural systems. There has been grave damage to the trees and forest land, avenue and block plantation, forest nurseries, mangroves, wetlands, wildlife resources, and the forest department infrastructure.

The flood has also caused contamination of drinking water, proliferation of disease vectors caused by stagnant water ponds, and accumulation of solid waste — factors that will further exacerbate health risks for the affected population, particularly women and children.

Pakistan's forest and woodland types include littoral and swamp forests; tropical dry deciduous forests; tropical thorn forests; sub-tropical broad-leaved evergreen forests; sub-tropical pine forests, Himalayan moist temperature forests; Himalayan dry temperate forests, sub-alpine forests; and alpine scrub.

Man-made plantations are an important wood source in Pakistan which comprises irrigation plantations, farmland trees, linear planting and miscellaneous planting.

A study by FAO confirms the outlook for forestry in Pakistan to 2020 conceived by the Ministry of Environment that the natural forests will shrink to 3 million hectares and wood demand will grow to 58 million.