If you’ve ever stood on a ridge above Neelum Valley after the rain, watched clouds weave through blue pines in Muzaffarabad, or traced the terraced folds of Bagh and Poonch, you’ll understand something rare — Azad Jammu and Kashmir is where the Himalaya breathes. Forests cling to steep slopes, rivers carve bright seams, and villages gather around springs and streams.
But beneath this breathtaking beauty lies a deep warning. Despite being greener than most of Pakistan, Azad Kashmir is not safe from the climate crisis. Its slopes are eroding, springs are drying, and unpredictable monsoon rains are turning fertile valleys into flash flood zones.
At Kashmir Welfare Foundation, we’ve spent years researching these changes — with data gathered by student researchers across the UK — to understand how the environment of Azad Kashmir is shifting, and how reforestation and water conservation can reverse the damage.
Our conclusion is simple: trees alone are not enough. What matters is where, how, and why we plant — and how we can make forests and water work together to rebuild resilience.
Tree Plantation Project – Plant a Tree today!
Azad Kashmir vs Pakistan: What the Data Really Says About Tree Cover
Pakistan’s overall forest cover is dangerously low — around 5% of total land. But Azad Kashmir stands out as a green exception. For decades, the region’s conifer and broadleaf forests have been Pakistan’s ecological lungs.
However, the numbers are changing. Studies show that forest cover in Azad Kashmir has declined from roughly 46% to 39% between 2000 and 2020. The culprits are familiar: fuelwood use, timber extraction, and unregulated construction.
The loss may look small on paper, but in these steep mountain landscapes, even a 1% drop in forest cover can mean devastating landslides, flash floods, and collapsing terraces. For a region built on fragile soil and monsoon rhythms, that’s a dangerous shift.
Where in Azad Kashmir Are We Talking About?
Every district tells a different story — and faces different risks.
Neelum & Hattian Bala
Thick forests of blue pine and deodar cedar once held these slopes together. Now, monsoon rains and melting snow unleash torrents that rip through valleys. Landslides are frequent, roads collapse, and springs run dry. Strategic reforestation here isn’t a luxury — it’s a lifeline.
Muzaffarabad
The capital’s rapid expansion has placed enormous pressure on surrounding forests. As homes, hotels, and roads grow outward, tree cover shrinks inward. Muzaffarabad sits at the meeting point of the Jhelum and Neelum rivers — every lost tree here affects water quality and flood risk downstream.
Bagh & Poonch
These mid-hill districts are a delicate balance of forest and farm. Terraced fields depend on strong roots and steady spring flows. As trees are cut, terraces crumble and water becomes erratic. The solution lies in agroforestry — mixing fruit, walnut, and fodder trees along terraces to restore productivity and shade.
Haveli & Sudhnoti
Rainfall is abundant, but protection is thin. Communal forests here are strained by overgrazing and uncontrolled harvesting. Community-led planting and sustainable management can turn these vulnerable rain-fed slopes into thriving, self-sustaining ecosystems.
Kotli, Mirpur & Bhimber
These southern foothills feed directly into the Mangla reservoir, Pakistan’s second-largest dam. Deforestation here affects millions downstream. Without vegetation to slow runoff, silt fills Mangla faster than it can be dredged. Planting shelterbelts and creating mini ponds in these zones is vital to safeguard Pakistan’s water security.
“We Already Have Trees — Why Plant More?”
It’s a fair question — and one we hear often. Here are the three most urgent reasons why plantation still matters.
1. Climate Volatility is Accelerating
Climate change is no longer distant. In Azad Kashmir, monsoons have become erratic, snow melts earlier, and cloudbursts now unleash destruction in minutes. Forests are natural shock absorbers. Deep-rooted species like deodar, oak, and blue pine hold the soil together and regulate water flow.
Without them, each storm brings chaos — flash floods one month, water scarcity the next. Reforestation here isn’t cosmetic; it’s climate defence.
2. The Hidden Crisis: Fuelwood and Fragmentation
In most villages, wood is still the main source of cooking and heating fuel. It’s collected daily, slowly thinning forests over time. This “silent erosion” leaves gaps in the canopy, breaks wildlife corridors, and weakens slope stability.
Kashmir Welfare Foundation is working with local partners to promote fuel-efficient stoves and community woodlots, so families can meet daily needs without destroying the forests they rely on.
3. Water Security Hinges on Green Cover
Water is life in Azad Kashmir, and trees are its best guardians. Green cover slows rain, filters soil, and replenishes springs. Without it, rain becomes a force of destruction, not renewal.
That’s why our teams pair tree planting with mini ponds and community lakes. These capture rainwater before it rushes away, storing it for livestock, crops, and communities during dry months. Each pond becomes a small oasis — turning floods into fertility.
Why Azad Kashmir Is So Exposed to Climate Change
Despite having more forests than most of Pakistan, Azad Kashmir is among the most climate-vulnerable regions in South Asia.
Topography Meets Monsoon
Steep slopes and torrential rain are a dangerous mix. Every monsoon season brings new landslides, flooding, and road collapses. When forest cover thins, the risk multiplies.
The Mangla Watershed Effect
Every tree in Neelum or Muzaffarabad affects the Mangla reservoir hundreds of kilometres away. When forests vanish, soil washes into rivers, silt builds up in dams, and the entire Jhelum system weakens. Reforestation isn’t just a local concern — it’s national water security.
The Energy Pressure Loop
Without access to affordable energy, families keep cutting trees for fuel. The forest looks green, but it’s hollowing out from within. Solving this requires both renewable alternatives and sustainable woodlots managed by communities.
Warming Water Towers
Melting glaciers and faster snowmelt mean rivers now surge early, then dry up sooner. Mini ponds and tree belts mimic the old slow-release system — capturing and holding water in the soil long after the rains.
What Works on Kashmir’s Terrain: A Practical Playbook
Change doesn’t have to be complex. It starts with smart, simple steps.
1. Plant the right tree in the right place.
Use native species like blue pine, deodar, walnut, and mulberry. Each zone needs a different pattern — contour hedges for terraces, windbreaks on ridges, and deep-rooted natives on landslide scars.
2. Pair trees with water.
Every plantation site should have a mini pond or lake nearby. These small water bodies capture rain, reduce flooding, and feed springs for weeks after rainfall.
3. Protect what you can’t see.
Healthy soil is living infrastructure. Cover crops, mulching, and controlled grazing protect young trees and boost water retention.
4. Make plantations that pay.
Agroforestry combines timber, fruit, and fodder trees — ensuring families benefit immediately while long-term forest regeneration continues.
5. Monitor the change.
Communities can use photo points, simple spring-flow logs, and local “green maps” to measure progress. When people see the impact, they stay committed.
Kashmir Welfare Foundation: Strategic Planting + Water Harvesting
At Kashmir Welfare Foundation, we believe sustainability means survival. Our Green Kashmir Project is pioneering an integrated approach to reforestation and water management in Azad Kashmir.
We are:
- Planting native trees along contours, gullies, and spring zones to stabilise slopes.
- Building mini ponds and community lakes that store water, reduce erosion, and sustain life.
- Training local families in fuel-efficient stoves to reduce daily pressure on forests.
- Targeting one million trees by 2030, focusing on survival, not just planting numbers.
Each sapling, each pond, and each household we support builds a greener, safer Kashmir — one slope at a time.
💚 Join the Green Kashmir Project and be part of this transformation
Urgent – Forests Are Disappearing
Azad Kashmir’s forests are a gift — but they are thinning fast. The mountains that once stored life-giving water are now releasing destruction. The choice before us is simple: let the green fade into floods, or help it grow into resilience.
Every tree planted, every pond dug, and every stove upgraded is a shield against climate collapse. The solution is in our hands — and the time to act is now.
🌱 Donate today and help plant hope across Azad Kashmir.
Green Kashmir project
Sadaqah Donations
Regular Giving
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why is reforestation so urgent in Azad Kashmir?
Because the region’s steep terrain and changing monsoon patterns make it one of South Asia’s most climate-sensitive zones. Every tree planted helps prevent floods, stabilise soil, and secure water sources.
2. What is unique about the Green Kashmir Project?
It links tree planting with water storage through mini ponds and community lakes, turning destructive floods into sustainable water reserves.
3. How do communities benefit directly?
Local families receive training, stoves, and employment through planting programmes. Agroforestry models also provide fruit, fodder, and timber income.
4. How can UK donors make a difference?
Donations go directly towards plantation, water harvesting, and community-led climate projects across Azad Kashmir — ensuring your Sadaqah and Regular Giving create lasting change.
5. Why focus on Azad Kashmir instead of other regions?
Because its forests feed the Mangla watershed — the lifeline for millions in Pakistan. Protecting Azad Kashmir means protecting the nation’s future water and energy security.
