CHITRAL, Sept 22: A three-day seminar on “Role of market forces in depletion of forest resources in Chitral” has formulated a number of recommendations for effective conservation of forest resources in the district.

Organized by the Chitral Conservation Strategy (CCS) of IUCN, the seminar was largely attended by the intelligentsia, local people and members of the district government.

The seminar, which concluded on Saturday, recommended that to save the forests from depletion alternative sources of energy must be developed to lessen the burden on forests for firewood. It was also suggested establishment of a timber depot to check the illegal harvesting of trees and smuggling of timber.

The other suggestions included use of steel and cement in construction instead of wood, rigorous implementation of the working plan for the harvesting of forests and involvement of local communities in the formulation of forest policy and simplification of the existing forest laws.

Speaking at the concluding session, head of the Forestry Programme of IUCN, NWFP, Mohammad Yousuf, said forests must be protected as they face extinction due to population explosion.