A consensus prevails amongst all sections of society as regards the potential and significance of forests and allied components. In the areas of their protection and strength, I aspire to suggest the following points: (a) Adopting fixation to grow homogenous form of species inside state forest lands: In order to prevent extinction caused to trees, a specific variety of tree species like ‘babul’ in Sindh should be raised on government forest lands and such species must be identified as endangered species under which their exploitation in any case, any form, be it even those extracted from private lands, should be subject to complete ban for an indefinite period. This will ensure no shrinkage of state-run forests.

(b) Imposing ban on exploitation of indigenous tree species: The next option for the government is offering subsidy in respect of timber and wood-based commodities imported from neighbouring countries rich in forests. This too ensures safety of domestic tree wealth.

(c)  Reclamation of degraded lands: farm afforestation: Since a considerable area of land is threatened by waterlogging and salinity, the government ought to contemplate offering incentives to the stakeholders concerned.

(d) Notifying landlords whose lands have not been surveyed: A greater portion of vegetation-covered patches of lands in Khirthar and sandy tracks of the Thar desert lie unchecked and unevaluated by the revenue authorities concerned over the years and biodiversity damage inside such swathes is a normal practice by offenders in the vicinity. Given that such land masses have got the structural profile of forests, they must be declared as government reserves to ensure protection of important ecosystems remaining unclaimed so far.

(e) Establishment of independent watershed management units: With special objective to execute reforestation through rain harvesting tactics in larger commendable areas of two distinct rangeland plateaus of Sindh (Khirthar mountain and Thar desert), a separate watershed division should be created in the provincial forest department. This will spark drastic changes in the landmass of the province.

(f) It should be made compulsory on each citizen, family and state institution to plant trees. This also ensures an equilibrium on the demand and supply of oxygen in the atmosphere.

(g) Industries and firms should be made accountable for the amount of pollution they add to the atmosphere.

(h) It should be made mandatory for all land owners to grow fruit trees.

(i) Agro-forestry should be assigned to forest personnel. It might yield better results by inducting forest employees andlowest-income groups in the programme.

(j) The responsibility of protecting forests should be shared with the police and other agencies.

(k) Pre-independence notifications must he revived forthwith to facilitate efficient forest management.

(l) The post of law officer should be created in each division. Since the department has undergone litigation in various courts of law, a separate post for law officer is an inevitable plea of field officers.

All such measures are perceived to prove a way forward to the expansion of existing forestry cover. For all this, the entire technical consultation should be incorporated with the provincial forest department.

DOST MOHAMMAD DASHTI Thari Mirwah