TRI Pakistan

The chilgoza pine forests of Northern Pakistan, located in the Hindukush-Karakoram-Himalaya region, are undergoing a significant transformation through the efforts of the Restoration Initiative (TRI). These forests, which provide valuable resources such as pine nuts, face threats from illegal harvesting and overexploitation. They are also essential for local biodiversity, including endangered species like the snow leopard, and provide valuable resources such as chilgoza pine nuts, which are a significant source of income for local communities. TRI’s project aims to restore these vital ecosystems by promoting sustainable harvesting practices, establishing forest protection committees, and supporting natural regeneration.

Sustainable Harvesting of Chilgoza Pine Nuts

Since its inception, the TRI project in Pakistan has made notable progress in restoring degraded landscapes. The project has successfully brought 5,279 hectares of land under restoration, and improved the management of 66,756 hectares. These restoration efforts have provided essential ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, soil stabilization, and enhanced biodiversity.

Community involvement has been a cornerstone of the project’s success. The project has benefited 30,388 direct beneficiaries through various training sessions, capacity-building activities, and support for income-generating activities. The introduction of chilgoza pine nut processing units has been a game-changer for local communities. These units have enabled locals to add value to their harvests, significantly increasing their income. In 2021 and 2022, the collective production and processing units yielded 24,709.3 metric tons of chilgoza, generating a noteworthy revenue of Rs. 149.07 million (roughly USD 1.8 million) for the local communities and stakeholders involved in this value chain.

To address varying contextual challenges to effective restoration, the project has employed a central focus surrounding the development of community forests and the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices.… Read the rest

The TRI Project in Pakistan, a testament to the power of community collaboration, employed seed balls, crafted by local communities, to revive 200 hectares of degraded Chitral Chilgoza Forests. This initiative showcased an inspiring model for Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) and underscored the significant ecological and socio-economic impact that can be achieved when local communities are empowered and involved in such projects.

FAO Pakistan is implementing the project “Reversing Deforestation and Degradation in High Conservation-Value, Chilgoza Pine Forests in Pakistan” under The Restoration Initiative (TRI). TRI aims to improve local livelihoods through increased productivity and enhanced services and functions of Chilgoza forests in Pakistan, responding to the vision that FLR is more than just planting trees; it is restoring a whole landscape to meet present and future needs and offering multiple benefits and land uses over time. The project is operative in the District Chitral of Khyber Pukhtunkhaw, Sherani District of Balochistan, the South-Waziristan District of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and Diamer District of Gilgit-Baltistan, and applies the FLR approach holistically.

The Chitral Chilghoza Forests landscape, a vital resource for the indigenous Kalash and Khow communities, has faced challenges. However, hope was restored through the use of a simple yet innovative solution – seed balls, which actively involved local communities. This led to the revival of over 200 hectares of previously degraded forest, significantly improving the livelihoods of these communities and fostering a sense of optimism for the future. These seed balls were then thrown into identified degraded sites with potential for FLR, which were jointly identified by project staff and local Chilgoza Forest Protection Committees during the annual ANR survey and monitoring in the target valleys in Chitral.… Read the rest