Punjab’s Forest Department says it has reclaimed 1,984.62 acres of forest land worth an estimated Rs 9.008 billion from encroachment and illegal occupation over the past two years.
Official reports also show that the department planted more than 50 million trees across 50,869 acres during the same period under its forest restoration program.
The recovery drive covered all three forest zones, with the Southern Zone accounting for the largest share. Major recoveries included land in Lal Suhanra, Muzaffargarh, Sialkot, Multan and Sheikhupura/Nankana, while smaller recoveries were also reported from other forest divisions.
The department said it has shifted from traditional tree counting to landscape restoration. It has also used satellite monitoring, digital forest inventories, AI-based surveillance and fire detection systems to protect forest assets and track encroachments.
Officials said Punjab has geo-tagged more than 33.74 million trees and developed a digital forest inventory covering 810,000 acres. They added that the province has also introduced what the dossier describes as the country’s first GIS Mobile Lab for field mapping and real-time data collection.
The department said technology-based fire management has reduced land-damage incidents in Murree and Kahuta, while drone surveillance and thermal sensors are helping monitor fire risks, timber theft and wildlife threats.
Punjab has also approved amendments to the Punjab Forest Act 1927, aimed at strengthening enforcement against forest crimes. The Forest Helpline 1084 has received more than 10,000 calls since its launch, according to the reports.
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