South Punjab losing native vegetation
Once the silent guardians of South Punjab's rural and urban landscapes, native trees that stood tall for decades are now vanishing, falling victim to rapid urbanisation, agricultural expansion and environmental neglect.
About three decades ago, the region's villages and towns were dotted with indigenous species like Kikar, Shisham, Ber, Toot, Neem and Bohar. These trees, not only provided shade, shelter and sustenance but also formed an essential part of the region's cultural, spiritual and ecological identity.
Today, their presence has drastically declined, and with them, a vital chapter of South Punjab's environmental and cultural heritage is fading. The decline of these trees is not just about biodiversity loss, it represents a cultural erosion.
In many rural areas, the banyan tree was seen as a gathering place as its vast shade provided refuge from the desert sun. Children played on its hanging roots, and elders held community meetings beneath its branches. Neem, known for its medicinal value, was often planted near homes and mosques, while Shisham and Kikar were central to the furniture craft that once thrived in cities like Multan and Bahawalpur.
The aggression expansion of agriculture has led to the clearance of native trees for cultivation.
Environmental experts suggest that reintroducing native tree plantations along canals, roadsides, schools and government offices can help restore the ecological balance. Creating awareness among schoolchildren about the cultural and medicinal importance of indigenous trees can foster a sense of ownership in the younger generation. Community-based tree adoption programmes and incentives for farmers to maintain old trees on their land can also make a difference.
According to forest department sources, tree plantations are under way on government land under the Plant for Pakistan project.
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Express Tribune
12-05-2025
- Express Tribune
South Punjab losing native vegetation
Once the silent guardians of South Punjab's rural and urban landscapes, native trees that stood tall for decades are now vanishing, falling victim to rapid urbanisation, agricultural expansion and environmental neglect. About three decades ago, the region's villages and towns were dotted with indigenous species like Kikar, Shisham, Ber, Toot, Neem and Bohar. These trees, not only provided shade, shelter and sustenance but also formed an essential part of the region's cultural, spiritual and ecological identity. Today, their presence has drastically declined, and with them, a vital chapter of South Punjab's environmental and cultural heritage is fading. The decline of these trees is not just about biodiversity loss, it represents a cultural erosion. In many rural areas, the banyan tree was seen as a gathering place as its vast shade provided refuge from the desert sun. Children played on its hanging roots, and elders held community meetings beneath its branches. Neem, known for its medicinal value, was often planted near homes and mosques, while Shisham and Kikar were central to the furniture craft that once thrived in cities like Multan and Bahawalpur. The aggression expansion of agriculture has led to the clearance of native trees for cultivation. Environmental experts suggest that reintroducing native tree plantations along canals, roadsides, schools and government offices can help restore the ecological balance. Creating awareness among schoolchildren about the cultural and medicinal importance of indigenous trees can foster a sense of ownership in the younger generation. Community-based tree adoption programmes and incentives for farmers to maintain old trees on their land can also make a difference. According to forest department sources, tree plantations are under way on government land under the Plant for Pakistan project.
Express Tribune
04-03-2025
- Express Tribune
Punjab launches 48,368-acre tree plantation drive under CM's initiative
Listen to article Punjab has launched an extensive tree plantation campaign under the "Chief Minister Plant for Pakistan" initiative, aiming to plant trees over 48,368 acres of land in the province. Senior Minister of Punjab, Maryam Aurangzeb, stated that under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the target has been set to plant 42.5 million saplings. For the fiscal year 2024-25, the plan is to plant 7.361 million trees over 8,496 acres of land. For this purpose, 1.8 billion rupees have been allocated in the current fiscal year, with 1.085 billion rupees already spent, accounting for 60% of the total budget. She further mentioned that during the spring season, 5.966 million trees would be planted over 6,637 acres of land. Tree plantation is taking place at over 300 locations across Punjab, including Lahore, Kasur, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Murree, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, and Muzaffargarh. The project includes a variety of trees, such as Moringa, Pine, Neem, Acacia, Shisham, Mustard, Bakaian, Semal, and Arjun, along with fruit-bearing trees. These will not only reduce air pollution but also enhance the environmental beauty of the region. The project, which is expected to cost a total of 8 billion rupees, aims to green forests, riverbanks, roadsides, the Pothohar region, Murree, and desert areas. To date, 2.73 million saplings have been planted on 4,000 acres of land, and the project is progressing rapidly. Maryam Aurangzeb emphasized that these efforts are not only crucial for environmental protection but will also lay the foundation for a greener and healthier Punjab for future generations. Meanwhile, the Punjab government is going to establish Parks and Horticulture Authorities (PHA) at the district level to create a "Green Punjab." These authorities will focus on eradicating smog pollution, renovating old parks and constructing new ones, with a funding of billions of rupees. The PHAs will operate directly under the Punjab government, bypassing the Forest Department and district administrations. At present, PHAs function in ten divisional headquarters all over Punjab, including Lahore, Sahiwal, Multan, Faisalabad, Bahawalpur, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Dera Ghazi Khan, and Gujrat. Their primary task is to maintain parks and build green belts to improve the environment and eliminate smog. According to the available records, there are three to four large and 40 to 70 small parks in other major cities of Punjab, which were first supervised by the Forest Department and now will be under the jurisdiction of the PHA. Furthermore, there are about 900 parks and more than 2,000 green belts and parking areas in Lahore alone.
Express Tribune
09-12-2024
- Express Tribune
Pakistan's Alexandrine parrot faces growing threat of extinction
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'Apart from the systematic destruction of their habitat, they have become a source of income for a sizable number of people across the country, resulting in increasing poaching and subsequently illegal trade,' said Sakhawat Ali, an Islamabad-based wildlife expert. Speaking to Anadolu, Ali observed that a huge number of Indian rosewood (Shisham or Tali) and Banyan (Ficus benghalensis) trees, the parrots' favourite nesting places, have been systematically cut down in the agriculture belt of Punjab and Sindh over the past three decades because of their precious wood. Agriculture authorities, he added, have replaced Indian rosewood with eucalyptus, which is useless for parrots and other human-friendly birds. Eucalyptus in Pakistan was exported from Australia to feed the matchstick industry and according to some environmentalists, it is environmentally hazardous. Fast disappearing in big cities Endorsing Ali's view, Abdur Razzak Khan, a Karachi-based environmentalist, said that the use of agrochemicals, increasing human influence and pollution are other key factors behind the decline in the parrots' population in the country, including megacities such as Karachi and Lahore. In Karachi alone, the parrots' numbers have plummeted by 60 per cent over the past five to eight years, he told Anadolu. The alteration of habitats — a direct result of unplanned urbanisation and pollution — has badly affected the population of urban birds in major cities in the past two decades, mainly house sparrows and parrots, Khan said. In addition to Karachi and Lahore, Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad are among the most polluted cities in the region. Instead of human-friendly birds such as sparrows and parrots, which also serve as indicators of air quality, bird species such as kites, crows and mynas have occupied the skies of these cities, he added. Predatory birds, mainly kites, often target parrots and sparrows, adding to the decline in the population of human-friendly birds, he said. Recently, the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) conducted a survey in the federal capital. To its surprise, no Alexandrine parrots were spotted in the capital's skies, indicating the gravity of the threats facing the bird. If the situation persists, Khan warned, these birds may hardly be seen in the metropolises. Lucrative business The Alexandrine parrot is the largest parrot species found in the country. They have red patches on their wings and are green in colour, with mutations also occurring. According to Anis Rehman, a wildlife expert based in Islamabad, the Alexandrine parakeet (Psittacula eupatria) is named after Alexander the Great, who is said to have first sent several of the birds from Punjab to the West, where they became popular as exotic pets of rich and noble families. 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Of the 350 living species, some 130 are listed as near threatened or worse by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The bird's population in Pakistan has not been estimated. The IWMB in December last year launched an 'action plan' in the capital to contain the consistent decrease in the parrots' population. 'We have registered over 50 breeders and 178 individuals (pet lovers) keeping over 2,200 parrots to ensure they cannot sell these birds into the market. Even their hatchlings will be registered,' said Ali, who also serves as deputy director of research at IWMB.
