Key Takeaways
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forestry Department plans to plant over 550,000 trees.
- The project aims to cover 10,000 kanals of land by March next year.
- Local residents will receive employment opportunities and financial benefits.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forestry Department has launched a significant tree planting initiative in the Spin Khak area of Nowshera, aiming to plant over 550,000 trees across 10,000 kanals of land. The project, initiated by Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on August 14, is part of the multi-billion Peshawar Revitalization Plan.
According to Mohammad Shakeel, the Peshawar Divisional Forest Officer, the plantation will be completed by March next year. The department will maintain the newly planted trees for four years before transferring the land back to the local community.
Indigenous tree species such as kikar, sheesham, and beri will be planted, along with over 20,000 olive plants and black pepper, to provide financial benefits and encourage community participation in maintaining the forest. Fruit-bearing trees, including pomegranate, jujube, apricot, and plum, will also be included in the project.
To support the plantation, the department is constructing two rainwater reservoirs and plans to install two solar-powered tubewells. These reservoirs are expected to help improve the local water table, in addition to their role in supporting the trees.
As part of the project, the Peshawar Forest Division planted at least 50,000 plants at the site on September 6 as part of its Defence Day Plantation drive. Local residents have provided jointly owned land for the project under an agreement with the Forestry Department.
Community members are expected to receive employment opportunities as laborers and through other project-related work. The department has previously planted over 45,000 trees in the nearby Jabori Khattak area, which is part of the Billion Tree Tsunami Afforestation Programme.
The Ghari Chandan urban forest, developed under the Billion Tree Tsunami Afforestation Programme between 2014 and 2019, has started generating financial returns for the local community. Eucalyptus coppicing generated Rs. 12 million last year, with revenue expected to reach Rs. 60 million this year. Around 80% of the proceeds go to the local community, while the remaining funds are used for further plantation and hiring forest guards.
