Pakistan’s Chilgoza Pine Forest Project wins top UN award
The project has so far restored 20 percent of degraded Chilgoza forests by promoting income-generating activities for local communities, according to FAO
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (MNTV) — Pakistan’s flagship Chilgoza pine forest restoration project has received a major international honor, earning the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration World Restoration Flagship Award at a ceremony in Rome, Italy, on Tuesday.
The award, announced during the 80th anniversary celebrations of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Forum, recognized Pakistan’s project titled “Reversing Deforestation and Degradation in High Conservation Value Chilgoza Pine Forests,” according to the Dawn.
Launched in 2018 and running through 2025, the initiative is jointly implemented by Pakistan’s Ministry of Climate Change, provincial forest departments, and the FAO.
It focuses on conserving and restoring the country’s unique Chilgoza pine forests in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
According to FAO, the project has so far restored 20 percent of degraded Chilgoza forests by promoting income-generating activities for local communities, including pine nut processing units.
The FAO noted that pine nuts generate over $25 million annually for Pakistan’s economy.
The initiative has already rehabilitated 3,800 hectares of degraded forest land and is now being expanded with national funding, including a $3 million contribution from the KP Forestry Department, officials said.
Speaking at the award ceremony, Prime Minister’s Adviser Dr. Syed Tauqir Hussain Shah said the recognition underscored Pakistan’s growing leadership in ecosystem restoration and community-based forest management.
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