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.
Mr. Unat Baig Kalash, a 55-year-old village elder and project beneficiary, emphasised the pivotal role of seed balls, saying, “We planted hope in the form of seed balls, and now our forest is flourishing with life. It is a testament to what a united community can achieve, and we are overjoyed to witness this beautiful transformation. Our seed balls have brought our forest back to life, and they symbolize the power of collective action and a shared commitment to our Forest restorations. The local people, including women, prepared 3 million seed balls of Chilgoza Pine and deodar and sown in the forest areas before and after the snowfall. These seed balls sprouted into young plants, lovingly nurtured by the local community under an Assisted Natural Regeneration system, with the aid of a local guard, a Forest Negihban, hired and supported by the project to protect these ANR sites.
Another beneficiary, Ms. Sachin Gul, 54 expressed her delight, “These tiny seed balls are just magical! They have completely transformed our approach to forest restoration. Now, whenever we head into the forest for grazing or collecting Non-Timber Forest Products, we carry these seed balls with us and scatter them around. They are truly amazing”, added Sachin Gul. Beyond the ecological renewal, this project has empowered local communities by offering socio-economic benefits, including improved ecosystem services, increased availability of non-timber forest products, and new ecotourism opportunities. The success of the seed ball-based approach in Chitral serves as an invaluable model for restoration efforts for FLR elsewhere. Its scalability and potential for replication, along with the integration of modern technology, shed light on the promising future of this nature-based restoration method. Chitral’s success story is a testament to what can be achieved when nature and communities work hand in hand.
The FAO under TRI Chilghoza Project collaborated with various stakeholders, including the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forest department, local community members, dedicated village volunteers, and female groups. Together, they received comprehensive training sessions on making seed balls and techniques for Forest Landscape Restoration. This training aimed to empower them to actively rehabilitate degraded and deforested areas within the forest landscape. The initiative sought to harness their collective efforts in distributing seed balls strategically across these affected regions, fostering a proactive approach to environmental conservation and restoration.
