8 th July 2005
Floods linked to deforestation
WWF – appeals to stop deforestation and increase in forest cover

LAHORE– WWF – Pakistan , alarmed by damages caused by the recent floods in the country, has appealed to the public and private sector to take tangible measures to stop deforestation, especially in the northern areas where people are dependent on the forests for their survival. There is dire need to find out alternate and sustainable livelihood methods to ease off pressures from this precious natural resource.

The unchecked cutting of trees has resulted in deforestation and now the forest cover around the country is, unfortunately, less than 5 %. With one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world, Pakistan 's forests are in urgent need of protection and conservation. The major threat to Pakistan 's forests is uncontrolled and unsustainable cutting for living purposes and timber products.

It has long been established that forests help in reducing the impacts of floods by slowing down the speed of water. The vegetation (comprising of grass and shrubs) and forest cover are essential for water infiltration into the ground hence reducing its pressure. The vegetation cover is being reduced due to overgrazing by the livestock around the country, especially in the northern areas. There is need to have judicious livestock grazing and cutting of trees to meet daily requirements of the local communities.

Day by day, we are losing the forest cover due to several factors, including forest cutting for fuel wood, housing, cultivation and increase in population. With the increase in population, more and more forests are being cut to construct houses for land cultivation. This has contributed to numerous problems including increase in floods. If there is forest cover in the mountainous areas then the snow melting process will be slow and the water will not be released immediately.

WWF-Pakistan has always been concerned about the loss of natural forests and associated floral diversity that has accelerated the process of run-off over the last few decades and, consequently, has enhanced the floods and sedimentation in the rivers, barrages, and dams with several other negative impacts on the quantity and quality of water, people's lives, and bio-diversity.

Major chunk of the run-off in Pakistan from its watersheds is added to river Indus and river Kabul . Other rivers such as Gilgit, and Astore in NAs, Sirran, Kunhar, Swat, and Chitral in the NWFP, contribute further to these. Unfortunately, some of the watersheds across the border in Afghanistan that contribute to floods in Pakistan are equally unsafe because of a long deforestation history.

The watersheds of river Kunar, across the Chitral border, and of river Kabul in the mountain ranges to the west of the city of Kabul , are mostly barren. Run-off from such watershed is added to these rivers that multiply several times when it enters Pakistan . Floods in Charsadda and Nowshehra Districts, and other down stream areas, quite recently, are seen as a direct result of this.

Ali Habib, Director General of WWF – Pakistan said “It is time the government seriously reassess projects such as New Murree which will further degrade the diminishing natural forest areas of Pakistan.”

WWF – Pakistan is raising awareness among public on deforestation and has four ongoing forest programmes to conserve this natural resource. Forest restoration is a major objective of WWF – Pakistan 's forest policy to combat diminishing biological diversity and forest cover in Pakistan . WWF – Pakistan is monitoring the status of forest cover in selected parts of the country by satellite imagery.

For further information:
Amjad Aslam, WWF – Pakistan,
Ferozepur Road, Lahore.
UAN: 111-WWF-PAK(993-725)
Tel: +92 42 5862360, 5869429,
Fax: 042 5862358,
e-mail: aaslam@wwf.org.pk