This presentation is about the Ficustrees plantation project.It was a joint venture of Safwan Foundation and WWF-Pakistan.

1. Project Title
Plantation of 1000 Ficus Trees (Banyan and Pipal) for restoration of habitat of
more than 100 avian species in District Kasur, Punjab, Pakistan

2. Project Information
 Project Cost
 WWF-P Funding
 Partner’s Share
 Project Duration
 Project Start Date
 Project End Date
: Rs. 415,000
: Rs. 300,000
: Rs. 115,000
: One Year
: April 12, 2012
: April 11, 2013

3. PROJECT LOCATION & BENEFICIARIES
Local Communities of 12 villages in District Kasur

4. PROJECT OBJECTIVES
 Habitat restoration of more than 100 avian,
mammalian and reptilian species
 Afforestation through planting 1000 Ficus trees
 Environmental education and awareness raising
among the local communities
 Support to the local culture associated with the
Ficus trees in the study area

5. Methodology
Nursery Raising for Ficus trees included Vegetative
Propagation Method.
Among Vegetative Propagation Method following two
techniques were adopted;
A. Plant Cutting
B. Air layering
Note: In addition, 100 % success was observed while
experiencing seed germination

6. Results
 1,200 Banyan plants have been planted at 100 different sites in a
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stretch of 20 x 10 km in the project area
2,300 Pipal plants have been planted in the project area
Awareness raising campaign
Motivation / sensitizing to the local communities
Identifying local partner CBOs
The foundation stone of habitat restoration have been laid in the
project area and it is expected that in the coming few years, the
planted 3,500 Ficus trees will add to the habitat of different
faunal species

7. Project’s outputs not achieved and reasons?
All the project outputs have not only been achieved but
some extra activities have also been conducted. These
include development of techniques for;
 Pipal seed extraction
 Pipal seed germination
 Air layering preparation
 Plantation of trees in far beyond number than the agreed
number in the project i.e. 3500 trees in place of 1000

8. Conclusions & Recommendations
 There is a misconception that Pipal trees are not the preferred tree
species. The Safwan Foundation has received a number of applications
demanding the Pipal trees in large numbers due to its being non-shady
characteristics and having a timber value.
 Air layering is a time saving technique but if we want to plant millions
of trees than bottle method is best and cheapest among all.
 The time span (one Year) is too short for Ficus trees project. A
minimum 3-year project should be launched to get the excellent
results.
 Due to high fluctuations in fuel prices, transportation is very
expensive and nursery raising is a capital intensive as well as
labor intensive followed by knowledge/skill intensive job, due to
above mentioned factors minimum 0.6 million (PKR) is a
recommended amount for such a project.

9. VISITING OF PLANT NURSERIES

10. The Staff of SF visited 25 Nurseries
 The staff of Safwan Foundation visited 25 nurseries
in Pattoki to obtain the Pipal Seedlings, 24 of them
totally refused to provide even a single plant. Only
the Zam Zam nursery claimed that they had the
seedlings. They demanded 200 PKR per one year old
plant. Later we visited the site and witnessed the
plant seedlings.
 Mr. Muhammad Saleem
0300-4092929.
 Mr. Muhammad Ghaffar
0300-4086363.
 Zam Zam Nursery.

11. Selection of Sites with GPS CO-Ordinates

12. Community Participation- The Volunteers

13. Involvement of local Communities

14. TWO PUPPET SHOWS

15. Agreements with local CBO’s

16. Land Acquiring for Nursery

17. Preparation & Conservation of Rooting Hormones

18. Types of Rooting Hormones
 K-IBA 0.5/500 ml with Acetone water
soluble.
 Indole Butyric Acid (C12 H13 NO2=203.74)
1gm/1000 gm.powder based IBA.
 Willow Tea .
 Aspirin as rooting hormones.

19. Propagation via Vegetative Means
 Plant Cutting
 Air Layering
 Head Cutting

20. Propagation via Seed
 Pot Method
 Bottle Method
 This method is very easy
 The bottle method is also
and cheap.
cheap, although this is a
bit tricky method but
germination rate is
amazingly high.

21. Inspection of the Project

22. Preparation for Pipal Seedlings

23. SUCCESSFUL GERMINATION

24. Promotional Material-Undertaking by volunteers

25. Slogans in the form of brouchers/handouts

26. Messages

27. Media Coverage

28. Total Plantation
 Banyan (Ficus benghalensis)
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1200 plants
Pipal (Ficus religiosa )
2300 plants
Grand total
3500 plants
Back up Stock
5000 Plants
Achieved 3 times than the original target.

29. Recommendations
 The time span (one Year) is too short for ficus trees.
minimum 3 years required to chase the excellent
results.
 Due to high fluctuations in fuel prices transportation
is very expensive and nursery raising is a capital
intensive as well as labor intensive followed by
knowledge/skill intensive job, due to above
mentioned factors minimum 0.6 million (PKR) is a
recommended amount for such a project.

30. Thanks to WWF-P
 I, on the behalf of my supporters and volunteers of
Safwan Foundation, Samaj Sewa Development
Foundation and Heaven East Community Board are
thankful to WWF-P for their financial and technical
assistance for the successful completion of this long
term habitat restoration project .
 Safwan Shahab Ahmed/Project Executant