Effectiveness of Billion Trees Tsunami Afforestation Projects in restoration of forests in Pakistan

Fazlul Haq (), Bryan G. Mark (), C. K. Shum (), Gabriel Zeballos-Castellon () and Ghani Rahman ()
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Fazlul Haq: The Ohio State University
Bryan G. Mark: The Ohio State University
C. K. Shum: The Ohio State University
Gabriel Zeballos-Castellon: The Ohio State University
Ghani Rahman: University of Gujrat Pakistan

Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, 2025, vol. 27, issue 10, No 73, 25087-25102

Abstract: Abstract The history of forest cover dynamics in Pakistan reveals an unsatisfactory environmental situation. In the past 5 decades, particularly during the period between 1990 and 2010, the country lost an average of 41,100 hectares of green cover with a deforestation rate of 1.6% per year. The factors behind that this high deforestation rate is numerous including socio-economic transformation after the major political change during the 1970s in the mountainous areas of Pakistan, demographic changes, accessibility improvements, and land use changes. Several social forestry campaigns have been launched over time to cope with this socioecological and environmental issue. However, most of them have not been very effective due to certain shortcomings. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the most recent and history’s biggest forest restoration program initiated by the government of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province called the Billion Trees Tsunami Afforestation Project (BTTAP). This project was announced in 2013 when a new political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, came into power. The study is focused on one of the main forest hubs of the country in the Hindukush Mountains spanning five districts. Forest cover in this study area decreased from 20 to 2% between 1990 and 2010. After the launch of the BTTAP, the forest cover increased considerably from 2 to 35% by the year 2021. This growth was achieved through planting new trees, banning forest cutting, practicing surveillance, and enhancing community participation. If the project continues and the protection measures are not suspended, it can play a historical role in forest restoration.

Keywords: Deforestation; Hindukush-Himalaya; Billion Tree Tsunami; Afforestation; Social forestry (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s10668-024-04573-x

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