Around 750,000 scouts of Pakistan Boy Scouts Association will join the drive to achieve the target of planting 540 million trees this spring.
Government has set a target of planting 540 million trees all over the country during spring this year, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam said.
Mr. Aslam told the media that the government has launched a plan of planting nationwide spring trees in consultation with all provincial forest departments. Prime Minister Imran Khan has formally launched the ceremony of the nationwide Spring Tree Plantation campaign on Tuesday.
Read more: Over 50,000 saplings, trees to be planted under monsoon plantation drive
“We have set a whopping target of planting over 540 million saplings all over the country during the spring season spread over February to April under PM Imran Khan’s Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme (TBTTP),” the PM’s aide said.
He further said that almost 750,000 members of the Pakistan Boy Scout Association (PBSA) will be a part of the plantation campaign.
From the total 540 million, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa about 194 million saplings would be planted followed by Punjab with 74 million, 13.5 million in Balochistan, Sindh would have 140 million, 98.7 million saplings would be planted in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and 20.6 million in Gilgit-Baltistan. Almost 674 events have been scheduled for Plant4Pakistan Day (Feb 22).
In addition, Mr. Aslam said that 249.6 million plants would be available at officially nominated nurseries in all provinces, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan.
“Planting trees in spring gives the tree an early start in the growing season. It can then spend the summer and autumn settling in and building a root system before the cold weather arrives.”
“However, efforts should be made to take advantage of the ongoing spring season, by planting saplings on a large-scale in the country. This is the second major season after monsoon when the soil is ready after receiving good winter rains to let the seedling grow fast and hold their grip on soil strongly,” the PM’s aide highlighted.
