Forestry and Forestry Education in Afghanistan

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Since the fall of the Taliban, rehabilitation of irrigation systems, nursery development, and treeplanting have been undertaken in support of the government's.
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Forestry and Forestry Education in Afghanistan ABSTRACT

John W. Groninger Afghanistan contains diverse natural forests and has a long history of forest utilization, irrigation silviculture, and treeplanting for amenities. Presently, the forest resources and supporting institutions are severely degraded after decades of war. Since the fall of the Taliban, rehabilitation of irrigation systems, nursery development, and treeplanting have been undertaken in support of the government’s desire to recreate an agriculture- and natural resources– based economy. Students at five Afghan universities are working toward Bachelor of Science degrees in forestry. Although recovery efforts are still in their early stages and many serious challenges remain, the revitalization of Afghan forestry appears to be taking shape. Keywords: Afghanistan, agroforestry, irrigation silviculture, development, forestry education

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fghans and their landscape endured tremendous hardships over the past several decades. In the 1970s, Afghanistan was considered an exotic and scenic tourist destination for westerners and although it was not considered a wealthy country, it prospered relative to its neighbors. The installation of a communist government in 1978 often is identified as the beginning of the recent downturn in Afghanistan’s fortunes. This process continued with invasion and eventual expulsion of the Soviet Army followed by decades of internal unrest and government collapse. During this period, protracted warfare accelerated an already ongoing decline in forests and other resources. After the September 11 attacks, Afghanistan quickly became a focal point of United States and world concern. The continuing military actions needed to stabilize this historically volatile country still are predominant in the American public’s eye. However, plans and actions to rebuild Afghanistan’s forest resources are underway also.

Natural Forests Presently, natural forests are thought to occupy 1.1–1.2 million ha, roughly 1% of Afghanistan’s landscape (Eng. M. Sharif, 426

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First Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food of Afghanistan, personal communication, Oct. 25, 2005). This represents a sharp decline from reported estimates of 3– 4% cover in 1980. Despite their limited extent, natural forests are very diverse in structure and composition. The largest concentration of forests is in the monsoon-influenced eastern mountains. Here, semiarid shrubs transition into forests of wild olive (Olea cuspidata) and gurgura (Reptonia buxifolia) above 1,300 m. With further increasing elevation, evergreen oaks (Quercus baloot and Q. semicarpifolia) predominate, giving way to pine (Pinus wallichiana) and cedar (Cedrus deodora) on wet and dry sites, respectively. Mixed forests of pine, spruce (Picea smithiana), and fir (Abies webbiana) occupy elevations of 2,900 – 3,300 m with junipers (Juniperus semiglobus) occupying areas as high as 3,500 m. In the drier remainder of the country, open stands containing juniper (primarily Juniperus excelsa), almond (Prunus amygdalus), or pistachio (Pistacia vera and Pistachia atlantica) are scattered across a wide range of elevations (De Planhol 1996). Local residents derive a number of values from these forests, includ-

ing fuelwood, charcoal, nuts, and roots (Azimi and McCauley 2002). Deforestation has been occurring over at least the past 2,000 years, but has accelerated since the early 1900s, caused by, in part, widespread timber poaching in the forests of the East and smuggling to neighboring Pakistan (De Planhol 1996, Saba 2001). The oak and old-growth cedar resources are particularly impacted. More recently, extensive and illegal woodcutting has been reported in the forests surrounding Kabul, a city of more than 2 million inhabitants that relies heavily on wood fuel (Arnoldy 2005). Combating exploitation of the forest resource has been difficult in the often lawless forest environment where nomadic populations and warlords continue to control the resource. The fall of the Taliban has reduced the influence of warlords, but rural areas, such as those containing remaining forests, are more likely to remain outside government control. Recovery efforts are slowed by continuing security problems and the wait for demining operations to clear areas for human traffic. In the dry forests, loss of tree cover has been a problem as well. The scattered pistachio resource was historically important to nearby villagers who harvested nuts as a cash crop. Over the past 30 years, these forests have been depleted as trees were cut for firewood and, in some cases, roots were excavated in the false hopes of earning revenue from their sale. When considering forest cover loss, the rapid decline driven by the pillaging and warfare of recent decades is foremost in the minds of Afghans (Formoli 1995). Often forgotten is the significant role played by gradual environmental degradation spanning the past several centuries (Saba 2001).

Figure 1. Street trees in Kabul.

Persistent overgrazing, partially fueled by the predominance of many ethnic groups valuing agricultural and grazing lands over those of natural forests, led to exploitation of the resource (De Planhol 1996). Restoration of roughly 30 million ha of degraded rangeland is a priority of the government, in part, to prevent desertification as well as to maintain water table conditions (Eng. M. Sharif, First Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food of Afghanistan, personal communication, Oct. 25, 2005). It is likely that the extensive devegetation increased the impact of a series of severe droughts during the 1990s, in part by accelerating runoff, which contributes to lowered water tables (Pilgrim and Cordery 1992). These droughts have, in turn, contributed to declining forest cover and forest health.

Trees and Forests in the Inhabited Landscape Afghanistan has a long-standing tradition of intensive irrigation-dependent silviculture in the cultivated agricultural and urban landscape. Accordingly, areas presently under irrigation support street and park trees within cities and border plantings, plantations, and orchards in the agricultural areas. Presently, much of the nation’s irrigation system remains out of service as a result of Soviet sabotage of Afghan agriculture (Formoli 1995), but recovery efforts are ongoing. Before Soviet invasion, major roads were lined with planted trees. Roadside plantings throughout much of the country were removed by the occupying Soviets once mujahideen began to use these features as cover for ambushes (Formoli 1995). Replanting of street trees has been underway for some time with Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila) particularly well represented. (Fig-

Figure 2. Tree-lined boulevard in Mazar-eSharif.

ure 1). Considering the effort expended to provide water to urban trees, the lack of attention paid to other aspects of tree maintenance is surprising. In many cases, leaf litter is completely absent, in part because of scavenging of freshly fallen pine needles for kindling home fires. Depletion of soil organic matter through neglect and heavy use is recognized as a problem by agricultural and forestry professionals but remains largely unaddressed by practitioners. Foot and vehicular traffic typically are unrestricted, allowing compaction within the rooting zone. Under these conditions, the soils under tree canopies appear to be subject to sheet, rill, and scour erosion to the same extent as unvegetated portions of the landscape. Pruning of publicly visible urban trees is restricted to the removal of lower branches (i.e., crown raising; Figure 2). Residential compounds also contain trees for shade and fruit. Pomegranates are a commercially important fruit grown in this setting. In northern Afghanistan, one promising home garden system involves the use of almond to shade the shorter-stature and sunscald-sensitive pomegranate. Alfalfa is planted as a ground cover to enrich the soil. (Mark Henning, Joint Development Associates, Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, personal communication, Oct. 30, 2005). Within the greater agricultural landscape, tree plantings are common and diverse in function. Small Populus plantations are bermed and flooded periodically and harvested 8 years after planting (Figure 3; Abdul Qayyum Ansari, Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Balkh University, Mazar-eSharif, personal communication, Oct. 28, 2005). Roofing materials and, to a lesser extent, door and window frames are the primary use of locally produced wood in the Mazar-e-Sharif region. In a common traditional construction system, poles lie hori-

Figure 3. Three-year-old irrigated Populus plantation near Mazar-e-Sharif.

Figure 4. Small-diameter trees used in traditional roof construction.

Figure 5. Orchards and border plantings in the irrigated landscape near Mazar-eSharif.

zontally on top of brick walls and are covered with thatch and mud (Figure 4). Most wood presently used in Afghanistan’s massive rebuilding activities is imported from neighboring countries and Russia (Shah Mahmoud Faqiri, Chair, Department of Forestry, Balkh University, Mazar-e-Sharif, personal communication, Nov. 2, 2005). Ditches conveying irrigation water from rivers to villages and fields often are lined with trees including sycamore (Platanus orientalis) and mulberry (Morus sp.). Similarly, trees are planted around ponds and as border plantings (Figure 5). Irrigated fruit orchards, including peach, apricot, and Journal of Forestry • December 2006

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Forestry Education Challenges and Potential Solutions. times draw on forest management problems The forestry higher education sysrelated by students from their own experitem is understaffed and underfunded. ences. These then serve as the basis for collabThe department of Forestry and Horticulorative problem-solving exercises. Equipture at Balkh University has three faculty ment for teaching basic forestry skills also is members to cover a comprehensive curriclacking as a result of looting during the wars. ulum. At Balkh University, $100 was budForestry faculty members interviewed are pargeted for teaching supplies for the entire ticularly interested in obtaining forest meaFaculty of Agriculture (15 faculty members) surements and surveying equipment for use for the 2005–2006 academic year. Faculty in field exercises. pay remains quite low despite a raise from $80 University lands allocated for agriculto $200/month in 2005. Second jobs remain ture and forestry education remain poorly standard among faculty members. developed. Tree nurseries, which could serve Technical course content is decades as a source of both training and income, are out of date. Many Afghan professors have limited in extent, in part because of continued received no education beyond the Bachelor of disruption of irrigation systems. Practical exScience degree. Training sessions for these perience in treeplanting, nursery managefaculty members at the Pakistan Forest Instiment, demonstration, and outreach educatute could provide a partial solution for this tion without the need for extensive offproblem. Field tours would be especially valucampus travel could be accomplished once able for those who have had little on-thethese facilities are fully functional. Faculty ground exposure to a functioning forest remembers, whose duties are presently limited source. Forestry faculty members also would to teaching, also could pursue applied rebenefit from the opportunity to interact with search at these locations. This would add reltheir counterparts from other Afghan univerevance to undergraduate teaching and address sities. Such programs could be expanded to the dearth of local forestry knowledge. allow future faculty members to acquire adPhysical facilities are small and in vanced degrees in Pakistan or other countries. poor repair. The building used by the Balkh These individuals could be drawn from University Faculty of Agriculture, already obamong the many Afghan forestry students served to be overcrowded in November 2005 now learning English. with an enrollment of 430 students, was servTextbooks and other resources are of ing 700 students as of April 2006. Also, the limited applicability. Few resources specifibuilding lacks running water and blackboards cally address Afghanistan’s forestry needs. are essentially nonfunctional. Overhead proMaterials written by Professor Nasuri, Chair jectors are presently an impractical substitute of the Department of Forestry at Kabul Unibecause each faculty member is issued only six versity are an exception. In the absence of spetransparencies per semester. Basic infrastruccific materials, European textbooks are someture improvement efforts such as those being times translated into Farsi for students. led by US Agency for International DevelopComputer facilities are inadement and other foreign aid agencies at Kabul quate. Computer skills are seen as critical University (Kevin McNamara, Purdue Unifor future employment. Accordingly, versity, personal communication, Oct. 25, students and many faculty members are 2005) are needed at Balkh as well. becoming proficient. Despite the unreliForestry practitioners play no role in able electric power supply and poor Inthe education of students. The notion that ternet service, computer use is expanding educators and practitioners have nonoverlaprapidly beyond the university as is eviping missions appears to be ingrained in the denced by the proliferation of Internet culture of Afghan forestry. Basing regional cafes and the abundance of computers outreach efforts at Afghan universities would and peripherals in local markets. provide the two-way training associated with Few opportunities exist for field exthe successes of the Cooperative Extension ercises. Poor roads, long travel distances, system in the United States. Also, interactions land mines, small travel budgets, and secufacilitated by the founding of a professional rity problems in rural areas make even minforestry society would improve morale and imal exposure of students to natural forests connectivity as does the Society of American impossible in Afghanistan. As a substitute for Foresters in the United States. formal field instruction, instructor some-

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cherry, are common in this landscape. Almonds also are grown in this setting but without the need for irrigation. A wide variety of irrigated and dryland fields occur throughout this landscape, with wheat and cotton the predominating crops. Agriculture is expected to play a critical role in the economic rebuilding of Afghanistan. Presently, Afghans rely heavily on food imports, most notably from Pakistan. Plans are being made to return Afghanistan to its prewar status as a net exporter of agricultural goods. Grapes, pistachios, and olives are among the crops viewed as likely to succeed in the export market (Eng. M. Sharif, First Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food of Afghanistan, personal communication, Oct. 25, 2005). Recovery of the legitimate rural economy in Afghanistan has particular urgency given the profitability of opium poppy production. Farmers can receive five times the dividend by producing poppies versus wheat. The temptation is strong among farmers to reap these higher revenues in defiance of the law, to replace looted equipment and make other improvements needed for successful participation in expanding agricultural markets. A number of high-value crops are being explored as a means to provide farmers economically lucrative alternatives to poppies. Despite the close intermingling of silviculture, orchard production, and agriculture on the landscape, surprisingly little attention has been paid thus far to formally integrating these into agroforestry systems. An exception is sericulture (silkworm production), using plantation-grown mulberry as a feedstock. One such project being explored on a trial basis is funded by a Japanese interest. Presently, most raw silk is exported to East Asian markets but some is processed locally. Similarly, apiculture, if further developed, could provide an incentive for managing multipurpose trees. Much of the agroforestry research conducted in neighboring Pakistan may be applicable to portions of Afghanistan (Dove 1992, Khan 2003). Based on work in Pakistan, appropriate tree species for Afghanistan’s inhabited landscape include Acacia spp., Robinia pseudoacacia, Paulownia tomentosa, and Populus spp. (Muhammad Rafique Sardar, Pakistan Forest Institute, Peshawar, personal communication, Oct. 24, 2005). Tree-row crop intercropping systems may be useful as a transitional land use in areas where orchard reestablish-

Table 1. Forestry curriculum at Balkh University. Fall semester

Spring semester Year 1

Math General botany Zoology General chemistry English History Islamic culture

Plant systematics General chemistry Agriculture extension training English language Physics Math Islamic law Zoology Year 2

Field crops Agriculture economics Microbiology Agriculture extension Organic chemistry English language Islamic culture

Islamic culture English language Agriculture machinery General forestry Animal science Soil science Horticulture Year 3

Introductory entomology Introductory forestry for majors Dendrology Forest measurements Plant reproduction Biochemistry

Pasture and range Silviculture Agriculture statistics Genetics Marketing Plant physiology Year 4

Weed control Vegetable crops Pomology Cereal crops Floriculture Irrigation Seminar Advanced silviculture

Wildlife Plant pathology practices Wood technology Process and storage of fruits and vegetables Tourism and national parks Seminar Plant pathology principles Agroecology

The first 2 yr of instruction are standardized for all students studying under the faculty of agriculture.

ment in desired. Tree and shrub planting to improve hydrologic conditions and provide dry season forage have been proposed also (Anonymous 2004)

The Forestry Profession, Forestry Education, and National Recovery In addition to its impact on the physical resource, the past 30 years of instability have decimated the ranks of forestry professionals and created a tremendous backlog of work. Presently, foresters are focused on producing planting stock in nurseries and protection of the remaining forest resource (Shah Mahmoud Faqiri, Chair, Department of Forestry, Balkh University, Mazar-e-Sharif, personal communication, Nov. 2, 2005). The latter task is hampered by the continued threat of timber poachers and residual land mines. A large number of young people are receiving training in forestry. Afghanistan has

five universities offering a 4-year Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry. As of October 2005, 100 students are studying forestry at Kabul University. The Forestry/Horticulture Department at Balkh University, initiated in 2004, already has a total of 39 students in the 3rd- and 4th-year classes. The forestry curriculum is standardized across Afghan universities and has much in common with programs offered at American universities in the 1970s in terms of course titles (Table 1). Since the fall of the Taliban, enrollment continues to grow, but universities face a number of serious challenges to their goal of providing relevant training. Interactions with students leave visitors from American universities with the impression of both strong and thoughtful curiosity. Students repeatedly express a preference for more hands-on training and experience than they are receiving. Their collectively small exposure to practical forestry was illustrated by the fact that none of the forestry students at Balkh University had ever seen a chain-

saw. Career aspirations of students were remarkably similar to their American counterparts in that many want to work for a government agency and others are interested in private sector work. Students also expressed a strong desire to develop English language and computing skills. Many students are paying for extracurricular English training, because this is seen as critical for success in business and for obtaining coveted jobs with foreign agencies. Some students are further developing language and computing skills through off-campus jobs performed after their half day of classes at the university. Presently, the outpouring of aid to Afghanistan is overwhelming in scope and amount but efficient distribution of these resources to the areas of greatest need is clearly challenging. Considering the devastation of the past 30 years, the rapidity of change and the pace of growth are encouraging and exciting to the visitor, but also fraught with difficulties. Cities are tremendously overcrowded with remaining refugees from rural areas. Widespread rebuilding and new construction contribute to traffic congestion and air pollution, compounded by extensive and much needed road work. The impression of this visitor to Kabul and Mazar-eSharif is that these concerns and inconveniences far overshadow the widely publicized security concerns in the day-today lives of Afghans. Restoration of the forestry resource has many parallels with broader reconstruction efforts; needs are overwhelming, but so are the number and scope of aid efforts. As is common in developing countries, shortterm and long-term needs and goals are sometimes at odds with one another. For example, public treeplanting enjoys broad support, but premature harvest of these trees to meet immediate firewood needs is not uncommon.

Forestry and the Future National leaders stress their dedication to the reestablishment of an economy based on agriculture and natural resources. This bodes well for forestry in at least the short term. Extensive demand for building materials in cities, efforts to return people displaced to cities back to agricultural areas, and the desire to work toward resource selfsufficiency should serve as tremendous incentives to increase forest products capacity (Azimi and McCauley 2002). Restoration of the degraded pistachio resource, though Journal of Forestry • December 2006

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only about 500,000 ha in extent, figures prominently in narratives of recovery plans. The discovery of a putative monoecious pistachio tree is generating considerable excitement among forestry professionals. Propagation of this individual tree would permit home production from single trees and may eventually benefit tree improvement programs. Sericulture is supported by international moneys and requires the establishment of mulberry plantations. Other funded initiatives focus on urban greening, riparian treeplanting, development of parks to protect environmentally significant areas, and protection of genetic diversity (Anonymous 2004, MacClinchy 2004). Policy initiatives are seeking to link natural resource development to immediate improvements in quality of life and protection of vulnerable populations. The Afghan Conservation Corps, a Government of Afghanistan project funded through the United Nations, performs nursery, site preparation, planting, and maintenance activities. This effort is targeted toward providing employment for persons with disabilities, widowed women, refugees, internally displaced persons, and former combatants (MacClinchy 2004). In addition, many efforts by aid groups are presently focused on the development of infrastructure including roads, power transmission, buildings, and irrigation systems. These improvements are expected to encourage additional investment and, especially in the case of irrigation recovery, will make more forestry activities possible. Planned investments in dams will require dramatic improvements in soil stability and therefore should encourage further treeplanting. As of fall 2005, much of the coordination in infrastructure improvement appeared to be poor, and government officials expressed hope in improving this situation. The importance of clarifying land tenure and establishing the rule of law for protecting trees, forests, and the communities who

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depend on them can not be overstated (Azimi and McCauley 2002, Wily 2003).

Conclusion If rebuilding and recovery continue, the role of forestry in Afghanistan can only be expected to increase in the coming years. American foresters with relevant experience could play an important role in research and training. In addition, the Society of American Foresters could help Afghan foresters develop a parallel professional organization to bridge education, practice, and administration. In addition to helping Afghans, active participation by American foresters would serve to remind us all of how our profession helps facilitate stability and prosperity, a fact that many in the developed world take for granted. The present condition of Afghanistan’s forests and much of the greater environment are consistent with a troubled past. However, there also is a well established tradition of treeplanting and maintenance before the Soviet invasion that should translate into forestry improvements, at least within the inhabited landscape. Currently, other countries remain interested in funding reconstruction efforts. This appears likely to continue as long as a stable Afghanistan is recognized as being critical to the rest of the world. Perhaps most importantly for the prospects of successful reconstruction, is the striking sense of optimism that prevails among Afghans (Langer 2005). Although frustrations are clear and uncertainty remains, the visitor is left with the impression that Afghanistan may well be standing at the beginning of a prosperous period. Forestry in its many forms could play a meaningful role in making it happen.

Literature Cited ANONYMOUS. 2004. Securing Afghanistan’s future: Accomplishments and the way forward. Natural Resources in Recovery, Asian Development Bank, Manila, Phillippines, 184 p. ARNOLDY, B. 2005. Afghans see forests, tree by tree. Christian Science Monitor August 1.

AZIMI, A., AND D. MCCAULEY. 2002. Afghanistan’s environment in transition. South Asian Department, Asian Development Bank, Manila, Philippines, 32 p. DE PLANHOL, X. 1996. Afghanistan, forests and forestry. Available online in Encyclopaedia Iranica supplement, Yarshater, E. (ed.). www. iranica.com/articles/sup/AfghanistanForestry/ html; last accessed Oct. 2, 2006. DOVE, M.R. 1992. Foresters’ beliefs about farmers: A priority for social science research in social forestry. Agroforest. Syst. 17:13– 41. FORMOLI, T.A. 1995. Impacts of the Afghan-Soviet war on Afghanistan’s environment. Environ. Conserv. 22:66 – 69. KHAN, S. 2003. Status of forest genetic resources conservation and management in Pakistan. P. 100 –115 in Asia Pacific Forest Genetic Resources Programme workshop, Kuala Lumpur, July 15–18. Asia Pacific Association of Forestry Research Institutions, Selangor, Malaysia. LANGER, G. 2005. Poll: Four years after fall of the Taliban Afghans optimistic about the future. ABC News PollVault, December 7. MACCLINCHY, W. 2004. Greening Afghanistan: Restoring severely degraded natural resources through livelihoods. United Nations Office for Project Services, New York. 9 p. PILGRIM, D.H., AND I. CORDERY. 1992. Flood runoff, Chap. 9. P. 1– 42 in Handbook of hydrology, Maidment, D.R. (ed.). McGraw-Hill, New York. SABA, D.S. 2001. Afghanistan: Environmental degradation in a fragile ecological setting. Int. J. Sust. Dev. World Ecol. 8:279 –289. WILY, L.A. 2003. Land rights in crisis: Restoring tenure security in Afghanistan. Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit, Kabul. Issue Paper Series March 2003, 146 p.

John W. Groninger ([email protected]) is associate professor, Department of Forestry, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901. This project was supported by funds from Higher Education for Development/ United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The author thanks Dr. Oval Myers, Associate Director of International Agriculture, Southern Illinois University Carbondale for his leadership and review of this article and to the SIUC College of Agricultural Sciences for continued support of this initiative.