French Pair Propose New Term to Define 'Environment'

In Char Bagh, northeastern Afghanistan, village leader Ghulam Ali Poya proudly observes residents embracing trees once again, a stark contrast to the wartime deforestation that ravaged the landscape. "There were forests of pistachio trees," Poya recalled, gesturing towards barren mountains surrounding the village. "During the conflicts and the civil war, they were destroyed; no one could stop the logging."

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There were forests of pistachio trees. During the conflicts and the civil war, they were destroyed; no one could stop the logging.

Decades of conflict, beginning with the 1979 Soviet invasion, led to a devastating loss of forest cover, estimated at around 50 percent by researcher Mohammad Nasir Shalizi of North Carolina State University. Timber smuggling to Pakistan exacerbated logging in the east, while in central regions, residents relied on wood for fuel. Although deforestation has slowed substantially in the last two decades, with forest cover increasing 35 percent nationwide since 2011, only 2.5 percent of Afghanistan remained forested in 2025, and some areas continue to shrink.

Despite these challenges, communities are actively engaged in reforestation. Both the former US-backed government and the current Taliban administration have supported tree-planting campaigns. In Char Bagh, the Aga Khan Development Network funded a "micro-forest" utilizing Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki's principles of dense planting with local species. This initiative has created a cooler environment, provided fuel, and offered leaves for livestock.

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Having these trees makes me feel good; my environment is green, and we breathe fresh air.

Bas Begum Ahmadi, the farmer whose land hosts the grove, sees potential for selling fruit and jam, while the community of 350 families benefits from the shade and fresh air. "Having these trees makes me feel good; my environment is green, and we breathe fresh air," said Ahmadi. Parisa Malikzada, Afghanistan agriculture coordinator for the funding organization, noted that such micro-forests "restore ecosystems, improve soil fertility, help climate resilience, and support community livelihood," with 500 planted across seven provinces.

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restore ecosystems, improve soil fertility, help climate resilience, and support community livelihood.

Village leader Poya highlighted the forest's role in preventing soil erosion during floods and called it "a model for people." He added, "Everyone comes to have a look, and they'd like to have one too." Experts emphasize that community-based forest management is the most effective approach in Afghanistan, given the country's challenging terrain and limited state funding. Afghan authorities aim to plant 200 million trees between 2023 and 2030, with support from NGOs, the UN, and the private sector, exceeding last year's target significantly with 17 million planted.

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a model for people. Everyone comes to have a look, and they'd like to have one too.