ISLAMABAD, Dec 30: The government failed to achieve tree plantation target set for the monsoon 2004 campaign as only 31.945 million saplings were planted against the target of 62.960 million.

This information was revealed at an inter-provincial/inter- ministerial meeting of the spring tree planting campaign 2005 here on Thursday. The meeting presided over by Minister for Environment Major (retired) Tahir Iqbal decided that 65.799 million saplings would be planted during spring next year.

The minister directed the federal and provincial forestry institutes and other agencies and departments concerned to achieve their targets within the specified time.

He expressed concern over the unsatisfactory progress of the monsoon tree plantation campaign and said sustainable forestry management plans should be developed by involving all the stakeholders.

The minister said farm forestry should be given top priority for achieving better results in afforestation. He informed the participants that a farmer incentive programme had been finalised under which rewards and incentives would be given to the farmers for planting trees on their fields.

Reviewing the progress of the monsoon tree planting campaign 2004, the inspector-general forests said 31.945 million saplings had been planted as per information provided by the provinces against the target of 62.960 million.

Thus, he added, only 50.74 per cent tree plantation target had been achieved. Provincial representatives indicated that allocation to forestry sector, especially tree plantation, had decreased substantially over the years. It was decided that at national level, the monsoon tree plantation campaign would be inaugurated during the second week of February.