LAHORE – WWF-Pakistan has pledged to plant a total of 1.4 million trees byAugust 2019 through active participation of different stakeholders, localcommunities and passionate individuals.
A WWF-Pakistan’s press release issued here Sunday said between 2000 and2010, Pakistan lost an average of approximately 43,000 hectares of forests,equivalent to half the size of Islamabad, every year. With only 2 per centforest cover remaining, the country’s deforestation rate is the highest inAsia, and is well below the recommended cover of 25 per cent.
It said the campaign, titled Rung Do Pakistan, was an opportunity for allPakistanis to come together and contribute positively towards protectingthe ecosystem and help WWF-Pakistan either by planting native tree specieswherever they were or donating to the organisation so that it might fulfillits promise made to the nation.
In the first phase of the campaign, WWF-Pakistan and Call the Band,WWF-Pakistan’s goodwill ambassadors, are partnering for one of thecountry’s biggest videographer collaboration in the history. The musicvideo showcases the diversity of Pakistan and encourages individual actionto plant trees across Pakistan. To date, a total of 70 cities and villageswith 50 videographers are on board. Supporters are already sending inphotos of themselves planting saplings with the hashtag #MarkYourselfGreenand are nominating their friends and family to do the same, encouragingothers to participate in the campaign as well.
In the second phase of the Rung Do Pakistan campaign, WWF-Pakistan willlaunch its fundraising campaign to encourage individuals, corporates andpartners to donate to the cause. Sharing his comments, Hammad Naqi Khan,director general, WWF-Pakistan, said, “When we speak about addressingenvironmental challenges, often the suggested solutions require policychanges at the government level. But what sets this campaign apart is thatthis time the people of Pakistan are in control to bring about a measurablechange by a simple act of planting a tree. Through Rung Do Pakistan, we areencouraging individual action to plant trees in cities and villages acrossthe length and breadth of the country.”
Khan shared that WWF-Pakistan was stressing on only planting indigenoustrees, which not only provide a shelter to various birds and insect speciesbut benefit local ecosystems as well. He also appealed to citizens to plantmore trees this year and help raise awareness about the cause.
The Rung Do music video with the plantation call is being releasednationwide on the eve of Independence Day. Zufliqar Jabbar Khan, leadguitarist of Call the Band and co-songwriter of Rung Do, said, “With thissong, we aim to make a difference, a difference that matters. Rung Dostarted off as a song but has now evolved into a movement with one aim: toinspire people to plant a tree, and to bring the importance and urgency ofthis act to the mainstream. I’ve travelled the world but seldom have I seenwhat Pakistan has to offer anywhere else. We often see how positivitysometimes gets lost in the midst of other news and information. ThroughRung Do, we aim to unite the whole country on this one mission and show theworld the essence of Pakistan, a country with the ability to be one of themost prosperous in the world.”
Pakistan is among the top 10 countries affected by climate change and oneof the simplest actions citizens can take is to help increase the forestcover of the country, one tree at a time.
Through this campaign, WWF-Pakistan aims to contribute to the BonnChallenge, a global effort to bring 150 million hectares of the world’sdeforested and degraded land into restoration by 2020, and 350 millionhectares by 2030. It is expected that 1.4 million trees at maturity willsequester 70 million pounds of atmospheric carbon dioxide. It is alsoestimated that the raising of 1.4 million plants from potted plants,cutting and sowing will generate 8,750 man-days of employment for localpeople and 1,400 hectares of forest cover will recharge about 1,344 millionlitres of water annually.
Inspired by this nationwide campaign, JS Bank will provide 20,000 saplingswhile different privates companies would also contribute. What sets thiscampaign apart from other plantation campaigns is the focus on post-carefor the initial three years that saplings are planted, which is criticalfor their survival.
WWF-Pakistan will also monitor and ensure proper maintenance of saplingsplanted and will monitor progress through fixed point photography so thatplantations have a measurable and real impact, the press release concluded.