ISLAMABAD, July 7: Though the annual monsoon tree plantation campaign has yet to start officially from July 15, the Environment Directorate of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has already launched the activity with the first monsoon rain in the federal capital.

“As we found the conditions quite suitable, we launched the annual campaign a bit early instead of waiting for July 15. This year we have a target of planting 300,000 saplings throughout the ICT (Islamabad Capital Territory) limits,” CDA’s director-general environment Mazhar Hussain said.

Out of these 300,000 fresh saplings to be sown this season, 200,000 will be planted in the suburban area and the rest in the urban area of the federal capital.

“The suburban area has been divided into three categories comprising that of Margalla hills, the Simly (dam) catchment area and the Islamabad and Kashmir Highways,” the director environment, Malik Aulya Khan, told Dawn.

“The selected species of trees and plants to be sown on Margalla hills this year include the Chir Pine, Amaltas, Kachnar and Phullai. Being the local species these trees have a very good record of survival in the Margalla hills and provide quite a high survival rate each year,” Malik Aulya said.

Similarly, he added that for the Simly (dam) catchment area the fast growing and soil-binding species of trees, plants and grasses had been selected for greater survival and fast growth like willow, poplar and different grasses.

“These will not only help provide the much needed green cover in the catchment area, but will also prevent soil erosion which has always been a problem as it brings a lot of silt to the Simly Dam lake,” Malik Aulya said.

For tree plantation along the Islamabad and Kashmir highways as well as the Islamabad Park Area a plan has been prepared in which ornamental trees will be planted in the back on top of embankments along these two highways with flowering trees forming the middle lines and flowering shrubs along the highways.

Bougainvillea, Ticoma, Accacia Glaca are some of the flowering plants and shrubs selected to be planted along the Islamabad and Kashmir highways as well as in the Islamabad Park area behind Shakarparian.

Inside the city, (urban area) the recommendations of Sheikh Saeed, the chief landscape architect of the authority, will be followed.

“The emphasis in the urban areas is on the urban parks, main avenues, service roads and the green belts running between the sectors. Generally, the seasonal ornamental and flower plants and shrubs are planted inside the city which help beautify the city roads, squares and the city parks and green areas,” Malik Aulya said.

He said the authority would also invite different government and private-sector organizations to participate in the monsoon tree plantation campaign as it had been a practice over the last many years.