ver the past few years, Pakistan has gained international recognition for its ambitious reforestation efforts. The Billion Tree Tsunami Afforestation Project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was launched in 2014. Later, it was extended to the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Program.

The programme achieved notable success by planting and naturally regenerating over 1 billion trees across 350,000 hectares, getting recognition from the Bonn Challenge — a global initiative launched in 2011 by the German government and the IUCN to restore 350 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 — as a step towards ecological restoration and sustainable land management.

This large-scale reforestation aligns closely with Pakistan’s climate policies by enhancing carbon sequestration, restoring ecosystems and bolstering climate resilience, reinforcing the country’s commitment to global climate goals.

Following the achievement, the real test is ensuring that these efforts translate into lasting environmental benefits. This required a focus on sustainable management practices. The initial enthusiasm surrounding the TBTTP can be attributed to tangible benefits observed in many communities and regions, including improved forest cover and enhanced local landscapes that have positively impacted both the environment and local livelihoods. As of April 30, 2023, the province had established 6,081 enclosures and planted approximately 337.06 million trees through farm forestry initiatives since the project’s inception.

While the initial success of the TBTTP has been evident through visible improvements in forest cover and local landscapes. According to a recent survey, challenges, such as unauthorised logging,........

© The News on Sunday