(Wed, 09 Oct, 2002)
Felling of such a large number of trees is bound to have adverse climatic and ecological effects on the neighborhoods.
Road (Formerly Bloomfield Road) lying east Of Hazar
Khani (artillery) Canal and south of Kabul River
canal - which runs longitudinally along Shami Road. The
'Peshawar Vale Hunt 1870' mentions the topography of
this land. It is still remembered as 'Jabba
Jheel' Area. Historically, the land, where the
present day golf course is located was marshy with
vast wastelands. The British used it for hunting foxes
in the days when present day sites of St. Mary's High
School and the Military veterinary School served as
Horse and Kennel Club and Peshawar Vale Hunt
respectively. Plantation of trees later on in this
area was able to lower the water table, re-claim this
land and make it fit for construction and housing.
Shami Road residential areas and Defense Housing
Colony have emerged here recently in the last 20-40
years.
The British built the Golf Club and Race Course in
colonial times. After partition, the administration of
the Club came under the care of Pakistan Airforce,
which has been doing a remarkable job since many years.
The tree species being targeted are those of
Eucalyptus. Although this much maligned tree specie
has been a target of critical debate, but there is
consensus that it is invaluable in especially water
logged and marshy areas owing to its water table
reducing properties.
Eucalyptus species, which arrived in Pakistan less
than 40 years ago, has provoked quite a controversy in
ecologists and foresters who have favoured it
recently. The advances that science has made, and
the accumulated experience of decades of planting have
proved that the eucalyptus, when correctly and
responsibly cultivated, blends into the environment
and also offers numerous benefits, just like other
vegetation. Particularly for commercial reasons as it
grows fast and has a good market value. On the down
side, it consumes enormous amounts of water and is
ecologically damaging to other flora.
Thus in barren hills and water logged areas it is
considered a favoured species, while it is disfavoured
in agricultural and cultivatable lands for the reasons
given above.
Mr. Mumtaz Khan, Conservator of FATA forests expressed
his concern over the proposed felling of these trees
at such a large scale. He was not aware of the reason
given by officials to justify their drive but he said
in his opinion this would prove disastrous for the
golf course area. He revealed that he was contacted
some time back by 'club officials' who sought his
opinion. He warned them that the water table was
already very high in this area and if eucalyptus is
uprooted then there is a grave risk of turning it into
a marshland once again. He pointed out that the areas
in the vicinity, which would suffer in the long run,
are The Pearl Continental Hotel, Radio Pakistan, Flag Staff House (Corps Commanders' residence), and Khyber Road and Shami Road residential areas.
There may also be a noticeable change in climate in
immediate surroundings. The cooling effect of the
trees provides a relative drop in mercury by at least
2-3 degrees centigrade in Summers compared to other parts of the city.
Other experts who were contacted are officials at IUCN
(The World Conservation Union) Mr.
Arshad Samad Khan and Mr. Inam Ullah, and Prof Abdur
Rashid (chairperson) Botany department UOP and Prof.
A. R. Baig (retired) of the Forest College, Peshawar
who unanimously expressed their concern as well.
Prof Abdur Rashid (chairperson Botany Department, UOP)
said that Eucalyptus species in the Golf Club setting
provided an ideal condition where the water table was
being kept at a favorable level and at the same time
benefiting the grass of the 'greens'.
This he pointed out was due to the unique shape and
size of the Eucalyptus leaf. "The leaves or the crowns
of eucalyptus trees retain less rainwater than those
of most other trees, which have more voluminous
crowns. Because of this, in eucalyptus plantations
more rainwater falls directly to the ground, whereas
in denser tree specie rainwater retained in the crowns
evaporates directly into the atmosphere leaving little
for the superficial layers of soil where the grass
grows."
A spokesman for Sarhad Conservation Network, an
advocacy group that lobbies for environment and
awareness about greenery in Peshawar, while lending
SCN's support to the Club authorities for future
planning, expressed his surprise and said while
organizations like theirs� is actively engaged in tree
plantation drives in and around the city, its shocking to hear
about this development and he hoped that the concerned
authorities will take notice and halt further cutting
of trees.
This raises several questions: what is the logic
behind felling at such a large scale. Is it being done
for the game only, which is played by an elite few, or
were any ecological considerations kept in mind as
well? If it indeed causes obstruction in the game,
why only one plant specie, i.e, the eucalyptus is
being targeted? Moreover, some of the players while
talking informally said they did not feel any need and
nor did any of these trees cause interfere in their
game. It is saddening that the elite, seemingly the
most informed section of society, have totally ignored
this activity right under their gaze!
Who is going to be the financial beneficiary? Isn�t
there an alternate income generating mechanism for the
club? How was this drive approved? Were any experts
contacted? How does the club plan to replace these
trees? Which plant species shall be planted in their place?
Trees serve to decrease Peshawar city's growing air
pollution. They have therefore, very rightly, earned
the title of 'lungs of the earth'. The timber mafia is
pretty well entrenched in the province and they can
influence high and mighty to keep the voracious timber
business in the Peshawar valley as well as the entire
province, which according to latest figures will lose
all the forest area by 2020 if the pace of denuding
forests and green belts continue. It is time the
authorities and the citizens get their priorities
right and refrain from destroying their future.
In developed societies, a lot of public outcry is
raised even when a single tree is cut. Surely, �Green
lovers� and tax paying citizens of Peshawar would like to know why their precious trees are being cut and sold off!
~Ali Jan~
