Spring Plantation
\n PESHAWAR
\nAs the sun begins to set over the nurseries here at Tarnab, Zahid Ali\u2014- a seasoned plant seller, was seen expediting unloading a truckload of ornamental and fruit plants in order to earn maximum capital during spring season.
\nWith the sound of his favorite national song, Dil Dil Pakistan, playing on his mobile, Zahid asked his helpers to shift the precious stock to safety under plastic sheds.
\nHe told APP that ornamental plants, including varieties like araucaria, ganga palms, and night-blooming jasmine, required careful attention to protect them from the unpredictable whims of climate change. Zahid, known as \u2018Khan Ghee\u2019 among his peers, inherited his family\u2019s horticulture business. He sources his plants from Pattoki in Kasur, known for its rich variety of native and exotic plants. \u201cSpring is the peak season for our business. We usually earn Rs 50000 to one lakh from each truckload,\u201d Zahid told APP. However, the volatile weather and plant diseases pose risks that could result in significant financial loss. Tarnab, home to nearly 50 nurseries and over 1,000 workers, depends heavily on these spring plantations.
\nZahid\u2019s business is not just about profits; it\u2019s also about a wider ecological cause.
\n\u201cOur first priority is to supply plants to the government and national organizations due to high profits margin,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cWith growing interest in spring tree plantations, orders are coming in from the merged tribal districts, Malakand, and Hazara divisions.\u201d
\nHowever, some buyers are finding prices steep, such as Fayaz Khan from Nowshera, who highlighted how ornamental plants have become increasingly unaffordable for the average person.
\n\u201cI bought a six-foot araucaria for Rs 5,000 five years ago; now it costs Rs 10,000,\u201d Fayaz laments. He believed that the Forest Department should play a more significant role in making plants available at affordable rates to support the nationwide plantation efforts against climate change and deforestation.
\nIn response, Hayat Ali, Conservator at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Forest Department, reassured that millions of saplings are ready for distribution this spring. These will be planted with the help of government agencies, NGOs, farmers, and local communities.
\nThe spring afforestation campaign, according to Hayat Ali, will cover a vast region, including southern, northern, and Malakand forest regions of KP. \u201cWe are focusing on both ornamental and native plant species, as well as fruit trees such as almonds, guavas, and peaches,\u201d he said.
\nMuhammad Ibrahim Khan, Deputy Project Director of the 10 Billion Trees Afforestation Project said that spring plantation events have been launched across the province with the involvement of community groups, students, and educational institutions.
\n\u201cSpring plantation is one of the easiest and most effective ways to combat climate change and deforestation,\u201d Khan maintained.
\nPakistan, one of the 10 countries most vulnerable to climate change, faces severe environmental challenges, including reduced rainfall and snowfalls, largely attributed to deforestation. Ibrahim stressed that massive tree planting is vital to mitigating these effects. \u201cWe have to combat deforestation with urgency otherwise it will lead to starvation,\u201d he said.
\nMoreover, the provincial climate change policy of 2016, along with the range land policy and REDD-plus strategy, have been operationalized in KP to promote sustainable forestry practices.
\nExperts believed that these initiatives, supported by the COP 29 UN fund, will further elevate Pakistan\u2019s efforts in environment and forest conservation.
\nIbrahim, while emphasizing the importance of media and religious leaders in spreading awareness, called for a united front to mobilize the masses in spring plantations, marking it as a crucial step toward a sustainable and prosperous future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Spring Plantation PESHAWAR As the sun begins to set over the nurseries here at Tarnab, Zahid Ali\u2014- a seasoned plant seller, was seen expediting unloading a truckload of ornamental and fruit plants in order to earn maximum capital during spring season. With the sound of his favorite national song, Dil Dil Pakistan, playing on his […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-461223","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-peshawar"},"yoast_head":"\n