LAHORE: The Lahore Bachao Tehreek (Lahore Conservation Society) which is a collection of civil society representatives, gave updates of its role as a partner in the afforestation drive initiated by the Commissioner Office.

Experts within the civil society platform provided technical designs, and coordination support to the drive.

Several plantations have taken place with the support of the PHA, the LRRA, the Commissioner Office and theForest Department.

`It is a highly commendable public-private partnership, where Lahore Bachao Tehreek is a member,` said urban planner and part of LBT Imrana Tiwana.

She said the Lahore Conservation Society had signed an MoU with the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) for the entire length of the green belts of the Lahore Canal Heritage Park (LCHP) which enables the LCS to create and design green spaces, placement of different types of trees and find sponsorships.

`We are coming up with ideas on how to restore the magnificent ambiance of the canal whichhas lost much of its original flora and fauna thanks to the cutting of trees and road widening,` she said.

`We miss the willows and the canopy that cooled the road as one walked or drove past it.

The Canal Heritage Park (CHP) has been declared a `Public Trust` and `Urban Heritage Park` by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Ali Amjad from the LCS Youth Leadership program said they were constantly working on sourcing saplings from the forest department, and from Pattoki thelargesthubofplantsand saplings in Pakistan. `Usually weplant local (desi) variety of plants including neem, kachnar, jamun, shehtoot, etc, but equally importantly we also give thought to where they should be planted.

He said the selection criteria of places were those where a guardian must be present to care for the plants and protect from harsh weather or stray animals that may disturb the saplings, and to see it is well watered. `If it is a PHA park then we have an MoU under which caring is their responsibility and if the plant dies they will replace it free of cost,` he said.

He said he, along with co-lead Bilal Habib, had found innovative ways to generate smallamounts of funds while the transportation was mostly provided by schools. Some socialites and eminent people had also donated saplings such as designer Maria B donated 2,000 saplings as part of her corporate social strategy, along with Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

Meanwhile, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah of the Lahore High Court`s Green Bench has also been on board on this initiative as well as lawyer Saima Khwaja of the Lahore Clean Air Commission which was formed in 2010.

Tiwana added that the LCS had been working hard to try and replace plastic bags by pro-moting cloth bags made by destitute village women, which are then sold at the Haryali organic market and distributed in shops.

Condemning the recent advertisement and activity of `dolphins at Sozo Park`, Tiwana said this was a cruel act which should not be encouraged.

`There was a discussion on this issue between the LCS and Dr Uzma Khan of the WWF Pakistan who is also the Global River Dolphin Initiative Coordinator, and it was decided that something must be done against the cruel practice of keeping dolphins in captivity for commercial purposes.