Trees purify environment, plant more to call rains
PESHAWAR (APP): Amidst intensifying climate challenges, environmentalists and forestry experts are urging city planners and the public to embrace a simple but powerful solution such as planting native trees to call rains to beat rising temperatures.
Exoerts said these green giants not only purify the air and provide shade, but also help cool cities and may even encourage rainfall to combat air pollution.
“Trees like Siris, Pipal, Bakin, and Shisham are nature’s air conditioners,” said Gulzar Rehman, former Conservator of Forests Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), in a conversation with APP.
“Cutting them down for housing schemes and urban expansion has left cities like Peshawar choking on heat and air pollution.”
Once blessed with rich forest cover and biodiversity, Peshawar is now reeling from the environmental cost of rapid urbanization. Historic accounts like Tuzk-e-Babari, the memoir of Emperor Babar, speak of thick forests and abundant wildlife around the city.
Today, the view from Surey Bridge offers a stark contrast: a grey haze of pollution hovering over buildings, once a lush green canopy now reduced to concrete.
According to Gulzar Rehman, Pakistan is home to over 200 native tree species and nine unique forest ecosystems, many found nowhere else in the world.
“A single healthy canopy tree can supply oxygen to four people and absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide daily,” he said. In fact, just one hectare of such trees can trap six to eight tons of CO₂ every day.
This becomes all the more critical as Peshawar and other urban centers face a dangerous rise in PM2.5 — fine particulate matter that poses serious health risks.
Muhammad Irshad, Chief Analyst at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) KP, explained that PM2.5 particles are small enough to bypass the body’s defenses, settling deep in the lungs and bloodstream, causing heart attacks, strokes, and chronic respiratory diseases.
“EPA studies found PM2.5 levels in Peshawar up to 52 micrograms per cubic meter — over three times the National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS) limit of 15 µg/m³,” said Irshad.
“These pollutants can stay suspended in the air for hours, even days, and the only sustainable solution lies in planting and preserving canopy trees which naturally filter them.”
While the provincial government launches seasonal plantation drives, experts highlight systemic flaws in tree selection, care, and follow-up.
Wajid Ali, former KP Forest Minister, criticized the preference for ornamental or non-native species over cost-effective and hardy indigenous trees.
“We saw failed attempts to plant date palms on the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway, despite past failures in Islamabad’s Blue Area. These species simply aren’t suited to the region’s climate,” he said.
In addition, Peshawar’s native birds and aquatic life are dwindling. Once a haven for Cranes and the Houbara Bustard, Peshawar’s outskirts are now quiet. Rivers Swat and Kabul have also seen a sharp decline in Mahseer and Trout populations, both affected by warming waters and polluted runoff.
“Not all is bleak. The 10 Billion Trees Tsunami Project, led by the KP government, has shown promise,” said Diyar Khan, Project Director 10 billion trees project.
He said that first man-made forest in KP — modeled after Changa Manga — was established in Ghari Chandan near Peshawar. “Millions of native saplings, particularly canopy species, have been planted to combat heat, reduce pollution, and help bring back rainfall patterns,” he shared.
The government is now scaling this initiative through the ‘Billion Trees Plus’ program, prioritizing canopy trees to fight urban heat and restore ecological balance. These efforts, though monumental, need sustained public support, expert guidance, and political will.
Canopy trees are not just green ornaments — they are lifelines for overheated, overbuilt cities. Their roots hold more than soil and hold the promise of clean air, cool shade, and even the possibility of rain.
As KP’s environmental future hangs in the balance, the message from experts is clear: plant canopy trees, and let the skies respond.
