Pakistan needs to cut back on the import of timber to help enhance the forest cover to mitigate the impact of climate change. Talking to WealthPK, Aitezaz Mahfooz, divisional forest officer, forestry planning and monitoring circle, Peshawar, said discouraging the import of timber was beneficial for the national exchequer as it would help save foreign exchange and promote the production of high-valued timber locally. “Scientific forest management ensures the sustainable timber supply to meet the local demand. Keeping the use of wood under control increases the high reliance on indigenously-sourced wood. It encourages sustainable forestry practices within the borders, resulting in better forest management, decreased deforestation rate, and increased reforestation and afforestation outputs. It also contributes to decreased global deforestation, especially in regions with high rates of unsustainable forestry practices and illegal logging.” He said that when wood cutting was allowed under strict monitoring to avoid excessive cutting and deforestation, the reliance on alternate derivatives of timber positively impacted the environment and industry in the form of a shift to engineered wood products, recycled material, bamboo, and other alternatives.

“It helps conserve ecology and forests, and creates a good number of other value chains. Without damaging forests, the quantity of natural timber and non-timber products increases to be used in a variety of industrial products.” Mahfooz said it was also necessary to reduce greenhouse gases, improve water quality and control erosion, which ultimately contributed to increasing the capacity and lifespan of the hydropower dams and the generation of clean energy. “By initiating sustainable forest management, reforestation and smart conservation practices, forest cover in Pakistan can gradually be increased to a large extent. Degraded or barren lands should be properly mapped for afforestation and replantation in degraded or deforested areas. Forest conservation is also important for increasing eco-tourism, generating employment in forestry and related sectors, improving livelihood opportunities, and improving ecosystem resilience. It also reduces the impacts of natural disasters like soil erosion, floods and landslides,” he explained. He said: “As agroforestry supports sustainable agricultural practices, community engagement is also necessary.

Policymakers should involve the stakeholders to harness the synergies between environmental conservation and economic development to mitigate climate issues.” Speaking to WealthPK, Syed Mehmood Nasir, former inspector general of forests, the ministry of environment, said while avoiding wood imports to add to the forest conservation efforts, it was also crucial to complement this approach with comprehensive reforestation projects, sustainable land use policies, conservation programmes and proper forest management strategies. “To achieve a positive outcome from these activities, coordination among the federal and provincial government departments, communities and other related stakeholders is vital. Curbing wood imports will help increase reliance on alternative sources, leading to creation of new industrial units, value chains, work and job opportunities,” he said. Former conservator and ex-secretary of Sindh Forests and Wildlife Department, Ejaz Nizamani, said: “Curbing wood imports can contribute to increasing the forest cover to some extent, but it is not sufficient to boost the forest cover significantly.

“A complex interplay of multitude of factors – conservation efforts, land use policies, reforestation initiatives, sustainable forest management policies, and community engagement are vital in this regard.” He said Pakistan was facing deforestation and climate impacts due to varying reasons like theft, increase in timber and firewood production, forest land conversion into agriculture and construction, and forest fires due to natural or unnatural reasons. He said to increase the forest cover in the country, it was necessary to frame a national forest generation policy. “Expansion in the cultivated and built-up areas at the cost of forests needs a strict check. There is also a lack of proper database on the exact number of ageing trees, growing stock, fallen ones, non-timber plant species and even their commercial benefits.”

Credit: Independent News Pakistan