Daily Times

In an ongoing battle against air pollution, especially smog, the preservation and plantation of canopy trees in cities were stressed by environmentalists and forestry experts to win fight against these environmental challenges.

Declaring PM 2.5 pollution is dangerous for living creatures, the experts urged the KP Govt, city planners and local authorities to focus on these trees to mitigate an adverse effects of air pollution, which has been on the rise in many urban centers, particularly in Peshawar.

Gulzar Rehman, former Conservator of Forests KP told APP, “Cutting of conopy trees for housing societies, expansion of roads and monetary benefits have contributed to air pollution in Peshawar.”

Pakistan is a home to more than 200 native tree species and nine forest ecological systems suited for such species. Among these, canopy trees like Siris, Pipal, Bakin, and Shisham are particularly vital for air purification.

A conopy tree provide oxygen upto four people and 1,075 trees planted on one hectare land can absorb an eight tons carbon dioxide per day.

The cutting of such trees in Peshawar in the past has exacerbated the city’s growing pollution, contributing directly to the smog and air pollution.

A historical account from the Tuzk-e-Babari, the memoir of the first Mughal emperor Zaheer-ud-Din Babar, described the presence of thick forests surrounding Peshawar, which were so dense that they supported a wide range of wildlife, including lions.

Babar’s hunting expeditions in the region has reflected the once-rich forests that contributed to the area’s environmental health. However, with the rapid urbanization and industrialization of Peshawar, much of greenery has been lost, exposing its residents to pollution hazards. Muhammad Irshad, Chief Analyst, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) KP told APP that canopy trees were a great source of controlling PM 2.5 level pollution.

“PM 2.5 is a complex mixture of extremely small particles staying for a longer period in air and once inhaled, can affect hearts, lungs, respiratory system, high blood pressure, strokes, asthma, cancer and other chronic diseases. He said that NEQS ‘recommended the level of tiny particles in air should not be more than 15mg per cubic meter.

The canopy trees with 10 feet or more height have an ability to absorb high level of carbon dioxide and pollutant gases.

Dr Mumtaz Malik, former Chief Conservator Wildlife KP said, “A large number of trees are planted during spring and monsoon afforestation campaigns every year but many disappear with a passage of time because of wrong selection of saplings for different climate zones and improper care.”

“Today, even birds like Cranes and Houbara Bustard can hardly be seen in the Peshawar’s outskirts for which once it was famous far,” he added.

He said, “Preference was still being given to eucalyptus and fashionable small-sized bushy plants which scarcely have the power to fight pollutant gases.”