What is Pakistan doing to stop deforestation?

Answer 1

there are few.... and these may be half measures also.....

Village Land Use and Planning (VLUP) is a new approach developed at the community level for the participatory management of designated forests in Province KPK. Each village community has its own (exclusive) land use principles, which are often in conflict with other stakeholder's views. Under VLUP all communities settle their disputes by coming to terms with each other. This consensus building process involves identification of units for land use and finalization of management plans. It calls for strengthening civil society at different levels as genuine requirement for the success of the process.

Farm Forestry is another approach and it targets the poor and disadvantaged groups through the involvement of local bodies of KPK. It was launched to check increased pressure on the resources leading toward reduced vegetation cover and fertility. This participatory and holistic approach is a paradigm shift, which focuses on areas of plantation, has low opportunity cost and higher return and aims at poverty reduction through encouraging enterprise. It ensures sustainability by creating skills enhancement and ownership, systematic planning and management of the resources. If management plans are worked out properly, it holds out greater opportunities for diversification and maximization of profits and leads to sustainable livelihood and positive impact on local biodiversity and water regime.

There is a need for a permanent think tank outside the government and advocacy groups to support forest policy formulation and implementation process on a perpetual basis as reflected in the Forest Policy 2001. The government should focus on improvement of forest management practices to prevent the loss of biodiversity (for example, reduce the practice of giving preference to certain species for their commercial value and ignoring other species). The integration of ecosystem approach into forest management can prevent further fragmentation of forest habitats.

The government needs to incorporate taxonomy in forest management. Including women in forest management decisions and forestry projects should address the gender dimensions of deforestation. In the final analysis the effective enforcement of the existing laws and regulations on forests use and management and involvement of the communities in the policy making process from the very outset enables the government to address and arrest sharp forest decline by creating a feeling of sense of ownership and empowerment among communities.