Environment and Social Safeguard

Environmental Safeguard is environmental friendly disease and pest control management, bio-fertilizer application, non-use of fire in weed cleaning, pollution avoidance and biodiversity conservation. Social safeguard is the development of livelihoods, women’s participation and empowerment, and participation of ethnic minorities through open discussion and consent with forest-dependent communities. The social impact is the poverty alleviation of forest-dependent communities, along with the improvement of the living standards of the disadvantaged communities, as well as social and economic development, including small ethnic groups. It also brings gender equality by gender sensitization. The environmental benefits of the SUFAL project include increasing forest cover, assisting in combating the adverse effects of climate change, improving environmental benefits such as freshwater conservation, prevention of air pollution, conservation of wildlife and its habitat, etc. In addition, the overall quality of life and environment of the project area will be improved by conducting all the activities according to the environment and social safeguard policies of the country and the World Bank as per the goals of the SUFAL project.

Environmental Safeguard Code of Conduct for Implementation of SUFAL Project

• Adoption and implementation of plans to mitigate and remediate negative environmental impacts of afforestation, biodiversity conservation and other development activities
• Avoiding the use of fire to remove bushes and shrubs for plantation program
• Protection of wildlife habitats and corridor/routes
• Avoidance of negative environmental activities in the management of all forests, wetlands and World Heritage Sites, including protected areas
• Protect Natural regeneration in specific forest site management, afforestation of native mixed and fodder plantation of wildlife
• Avoiding single species or monoculture for restoration of forests
• Increasing soil fertility, avoiding the use of harmful chemical fertilizers and pesticides to control diseases and pests and follow integrated pest management
• Use suitable and high-quality seedlings for plantation and consider soil erosion and landslides
• Proper fire prevention measures in the forest
• Conservation of watershed and avoidance of water pollution
• Arrangement of Environmental friendly poly-propylene bags used in the production of seedlings, collected from the afforested area
• Adoption of eco-friendly livelihood activities