#SaafDestinations

As part of our ongoing commitment to highlighting the best of Pakistan, DESTINATIONS’ latest initiative is #SaafDestinations, an awareness campaign around keeping Pakistan clean and green. In this regard, here’s showcasing two leading tree plantation drives in Lahore – Afforestation Lahore and the Sherpa Forest, which are dedicated to conserving and restoring Lahore’s green cover and they are going at it full steam.

How many city slickers have experienced a forest? The quiet hum, the fragrant breeze wafting through the herbs and shrubs, the leaves of trees pungent with their fruits? The sudden drop in the temperature as you step into the shade of a tree, the buzz of the bugs and the chirping of different birds?

The way cities grow out, gobbling up green patches in the name of development, chances are that there may be an entire generation that has grown up without experiencing any of the above mentioned bounties.” Afia Salam, Journalist & Environmental Activist

In our bid to further our commitment to Pakistan and showcasing the best of it, DESTINATIONS’ latest initiative is #SaafDestinations, an awareness campaign around keeping Pakistan clean and green.

Following the lead of two of DESTINATIONS’ close friends, Attiya Noon and Sanam Taseer, we have contributed trees to two campaigns in Lahore that are dedicated to provide greater green coverage to the city.

In this regard, we have donated a few hundred trees for the Jaaman Avenue along the Canal Heritage Park plantation drive between the areas of Harbanspura and Dharampura, as part of the larger Afforestation Lahore movement which aims to plant 8.7 million trees in the city.

Afforestation Lahore is a one-of-its-kind project run by a consortium of NGOs and CSOs from Lahore to take ownership of their city and work towards restoring Lahore’s tree cover to combat environmental challenges.

The Afforestation Lahore Project is a landmark initiative of the Commissioner Office Lahore in collaboration with the Lahore Biennale Foundation (LBF) as part of the ‘Clean and Green Pakistan’ initiative.

The Afforestation Project is designed to encourage a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach amongst the fields of art and philanthropy in Pakistan which focuses on supporting research and development – by building relationships with private, government, institutional and corporate partners, both at domestic and international levels. Climate change presents a tangible threat and given its severity it is imperative to have all stakeholders united on one single platform.

We were also delighted to make a contribution towards Sanam Taseer’s initiative of planting native varieties of trees in the heart of Lahore. Working with DeliveTree, she is aiming towards building an urban forest on this wasteland, using the award-winning Japanese botanist, Miyawaki’s method of restoration of the natural vegetation on degraded land.

“I had this land and decided to turn it into a public project. We are planting 8,000 trees all of which have been donated by Hopscotch, Eleven Hearts Foundation, and other individual earth angels.“

Calling it the Sherpa Forest after her sons Shershah and Pasha, Taseer has dedicated her personal land in Batapur where she has “turned the front 2 acres into a public space with indigenous trees and the other 4 acres at the back as a private bird and bee sanctuary.”

Compelled by the need to conserve, protect and restore Lahore’s green cover, Taseer says she is overwhelmed by the positive response of having a great number of people “donate both financially and with their time and hard labor.”

In the short span of time since their initiation, they have already planted 2 acres and have 4 more to go. An upbeat Taseer rallies her friends and the residents of Lahore at large – “keep those trees pouring in. Bring a shovel and a picnic basket and together let’s plant paradise. If you want to volunteer or donate trees, email us at [email protected]“.

Here’s wishing luck to these revolutionary conservation projects and hoping they achieve the desired results in combating climate change for a cleaner, greener, saaf Pakistan!

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Register now on afforestationlahore.com and join the Afforestation Lahore Movement!

Here are some ways you can contribute:

– Volunteer:

afforestationlahore.com/volunteer/

– Design a site:

afforestationlahore.com/design-a-site/

– Register a site:

afforestationlahore.com/register-a-site/

– Sponsor a nursery:

afforestationlahore.com/donate-for-a-plantation/

– Make a donation:

afforestationlahore.com/donate-for-a-plantation/

If you have more questions about the project and how to contribute check out the website for guidelines:

afforestationlahore.com/guidelines/

Or email [email protected]