ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Senate has been told that Pakistan presently has 5.01 percent of the total land area under forest; hence it is one of the 56 ‘Low Forest Cover Countries’ (LFCC) in which forest cover is less than 10 percent of total land area.
To a question by Senator Muhammad Talha Mahmood, the Minister for Climate Change Zartaj Gul told the House that the minimum ratio of land under forest cover out of the total land of country required to save the climate and have a better environment has not been specified internationally.
However, it has been indicated in various reports that 10% to 25% forest cover is useful to meet local needs. Climatic conditions, particularly, rainfall dictates type and quantity of forest cover that can exist in any given land.
The minister told that Low Forest Cover Countries have special needs and requirements to increase forest cover primarily due to Arid and Semi-Arid climatic conditions.
Zartaj Gul further said that the forestry is a provincial subject under the Constitution of 1973, hence directions to ensure specific percentage of their land under forest cannot be passed.
However, she added that, the federal government supports provinces to improve forest cover and promote tree plantation in the Country through national level mega projects that include Green Pakistan Programme, Sustainable Forest Management project and Sustainable Land Management Project to Combat Desertification.
