Distinction in travel journalism
Is independent travel journalism important to you?
Click here to keep it independent

28 May, 2016

Pakistan’s ‘Billion Tree Tsunami’ gains momentum – Dawn.com

The torrential rains and landslides during April in northern Pakistan’s resulted in the deaths of more than 140 people and left widespread destruction. It is the second spell of heavy rain this spring in the area and experts say that heavy deforestation and rapid erosion of mountainsides exacerbated the damage. According to Leading Environmentalist Malik Amin Aslam, “While climate change is causing the enhanced intensity of rainfall, deforestation is unfortunately abetting the mass scale damage.”

Malik Amin is also advisor to the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, and the architect and chairman of the party’s “Green Growth Initiative”. Under this initiative, the party has begun a number of activities to reverse the past sixty years of deforestation. “Along with a crackdown on the timber mafias, we have started the large scale aforestation project called “The Billion Tree Tsunami” to reverse this trend and save future generations,” he told thethirdpole.net.

Read the rest: http://www.dawn.com/news/1258918/pakistans-billion-tree-tsunami-gains-momentum