Pakistan sets world record for most trees planted in a day, Guinness Book recognises

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Jan Khaskheli
Pakistan set a new world record of most tree plantations in a single day on Wednesday with the plantation of 541,176 mangrove plants in Keti Bunder, District Thatta.

The mangrove tree plantation drive started around 6am at an island near the historical but now-ruined Keti Bunder town, where 400 trained workers took active part in achieve the target. About 300 trained workers ó 20 people in each group with a team leader ó followed numbered wooden sticks erected in wide muddy soil to plant their saplings.

Officials said that numbered sticks were used to keep track of the quantity of saplings planted. Each worker had to plant more than 1,300 plants from morning until evening, with their labour bearing fruit by evening as the previous record of planting 447,874 trees set by India in June 2009 was broken.

A festive environment was witnessed around the area marked for plantation, as dwellers from the local community as well as those from neighbouring coastal villages were present in large numbers. The workers also received encouragement from local artistes, who kept performing and playing musical instruments for much of the day to keep the workers’ spirits high. Civil society activists, environmentalists and officials from the Sindh Forest Department were also present on site to cheer energetic workers.

The campaign was spearheaded by the Sindh Forest Department, and had the technical support of International Union of Conservation (IUCN) and World Wildlife Fund-Pakistan. Federal Environment Minister Hameedullah Jan Afridi, Sindh Environment Minister Askari Taqivi, Cultural and Tourism Minister Sassui Paleejo, Environment Federal Secretary Kamran Lashari, Abdul Wahid Soomro (MNA) and others also visited the site to personally observe the efforts of the workers. Officials said that National Assembly’s Sub-Committee on Environment Chairperson Marvi Memon, Marine Ecology Expert of IUCN Tahir Qureshi, and Guinness Book of World Records representative Adil Hussain were monitoring the campaign as referees.

Local activists meanwhile welcomed the plantation drive but stressed the need to tend to these mangroves. Gulab Shah, a local activist from Keti Bunder, told The News that site marked for plantation was already a mangrove area, but the launching of mega projects at upstream River Indus, shortage of downpours and receding river water had destroyed the existing mangrove plantations. Similarly, increasing sea erosion had caused widespread displacement of the local communities.

Shah said that the particular time chosen for this campaign could be conductive for fresh plantation, as the monsoons had already started. However, he added that it must need proper care and maintenance, which was not exercised in the past.

The sentiments expressed by Shah are not without foundation: mangrove deforestation has been on the rise in the province, leaving dwellers of Karachi especially vulnerable to natural disasters given that the city’s coast is gradually losing its mangrove cover. Environmentalists and researchers continue to emphasise the importance of restoring mangrove forests, one of nature’s strongest defence mechanisms against natural disasters, as they believe that the restoration of mangrove cover will not only provide economic benefits but also shield immediate and distant populations from the affects of natural disasters.

Federal Environment Minister Hameedullah Jan Afridi expressed delight that the event, described as one of the major events in the “Year of Environment”, would develop forest resources through international competition. “On the one hand, this activity would achieve the national objective of increasing forest cover, and on the other, will raise awareness among masses. It will also create a soft image of the country across the world,” Afridi said.

Earlier, community people from the Delta staged a protest demonstration as the ministers arrived at the site. The locals were demanding that more water is released into River Indus from downstream Kotri to save the life and livelihood of the people. It is worth mentioning that persistent sea erosion has occupied more than two million acres of fertile land and green pastures, displacing hundreds of families.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=188200

======================================
Guinness Book recognises feat
Thursday, July 16, 2009
By M. Farhan Zaheer

Karachi

Pakistan has received the certificate from Guinness Book of World Records in acknowledgment of planting as many as 541,176 mangroves trees in a day on Wednesday, Federal Minister for Environment Hameedullah Jan Afridi told media on the site of plantation.

Pakistan planted these trees at 800 acres of land at Keti Bunder, District Thatta. The record has been set under the following two conditions of Guinness Book of World: 1) plantation was allowed only in day-light and was not allowed in artificial light; and (2) not more than 300 people were allowed to participate in the plantation.

The country has broken India’s world record, which had planted about 445,000 trees in a day earlier. Prior to India, this record was made by Mexico, the Minister added.

The National Bank of Pakistan was the whole & sole sponsor of the day activity, which provided Rs10 million for the purpose.

These mangroves would require the full attention of the authorities concerned to grow during next five years, and after that they could survive on their own, Afridi said, adding that the federal government has given Rs1.5 billion to the Sindh government for the purpose. He also told media that his ministry has set a side Rs5 billion for making environment pollution free.

Highlighting the importance of having mangroves trees, he said that they help making environment pollution free, and termed them as ‘sea storm protective balls.’ These mangroves would also help country in fighting against global warming, he added.