In the shade of newly planted poplar trees in northeastern Afghanistan, village chief Ghulam Ali Poya proudly watches as residents rediscover the value of trees after years of war-time deforestation.
«There were entire forests of pistachios growing there.»" he told AFP, pointing to the bare mountains surrounding the clay houses in Char Bagh.
«"During the conflicts and civil war they were destroyed; no one could stop the deforestation.".
Between the 1979 Soviet invasion and the fall of the first Taliban government in the early 2000s, "about 50 percent of Afghanistan's forest cover was lost," said Mohammad Nasir Shalizi, a researcher at North Carolina State University.
In eastern Afghanistan, timber smuggling to Pakistan has led to widespread deforestation, while in the drier central and northern "pistachio belt" people have relied on wood for heating and cooking.
However, the rate of deforestation has slowed significantly over the past two decades, Shalizi said.
According to the National Authority for Statistics and Information, forest area nationwide has increased by 35 percent since 2011, although by 2025, forests covered only 2.5 percent of Afghanistan's land area, and in some areas, their area continues to decline.
However, experts say local residents are working to improve forest cover. Both the US-backed government, in power until 2021, and the current Taliban administration are supporting tree-planting campaigns.
In the Char Bagh area, the Aga Khan Development Network funded the creation of a one-square-kilometer grove of poplars, paulownias, pomegranates, and persimmons.
— 'Model' —
The land belongs to farmer Bas Begum Ahmadi, who hopes to sell fruit and homemade jam, but it is also open to the community of 350 families.
«"Having these trees brings me joy; I have greenery all around me and we breathe fresh air," said the 45-year-old woman, who, along with her husband, tends the trees to support their four children.
This "microforest" was created according to the principles of Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki: dense planting of predominantly native plant species of varying heights.
It is noticeably cooler here than in the surrounding bare fields, and branches can be found for fuel for stoves and leaves to feed livestock.
«"Microforests restore ecosystems, improve soil fertility, promote climate resilience, and support the livelihoods of local communities," said Parisa Malikzada, the organization's agriculture coordinator in Afghanistan, which has planted 500 microforests in seven provinces.
Poya said the forest, located next to the river, prevents soil erosion during floods and serves as a "role model for people.".
«"Everyone comes to look and they would like to buy one too," he told AFP.
In Afghanistan, where many areas are difficult to access and the government has limited resources, the most effective approach to reforestation is community-based forest management, experts told AFP.
— Fines for cutting down trees —
Afghan authorities have set a goal of planting 200 million trees between 2023 and 2030, relying in part on non-governmental organizations, the United Nations and the private sector.
«"Last year, the target was eight million, but in the end, 17 million were planted," said Rohullah Amin, head of the climate change department at the Directorate General of Environment, where he has worked for more than a decade.
The goal for this year is nine million.
Challenges include the selection of local, climate-adapted species, water shortages, and damage to young trees by livestock.
Amin acknowledged that some forests are suffering from "lack of care or water," including one area where drought has destroyed 70 percent of planted pine trees.
In some places, tribal councils protect forests and punish residents who damage them. In other places, "forest management associations" have been created, managed by elected village residents and farmers.
Since 2019, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has helped them plant five million trees, according to Mohammed Safi, head of the climate change organization.
— The Return of the Birds —
The government has established nurseries to grow local plant species in places such as Paghman, on government land on the outskirts of Kabul.
Head gardener Mahmud Khwajazada carefully tends to the almond, pine, walnut and deodar trees, which are then shipped across the country.
«"Our Prophet said: 'Even if you only have one day left, plant a tree,'" he told AFP.
In Charikar, northeastern Afghanistan, where thousands of saplings have been planted along streets, in parks, and on hillsides this year, the municipality is noticing a "change" in people's attitudes toward trees.
Local resident Ahmad Khalid Sabiri said he volunteered to help plant the trees "because it is good for the environment.".
Experts said more effort was needed to protect remaining old-growth forests and to plant trees not only in urban areas but in forests in general.
«"Good work is being done, but much more needs to be done to address the impacts of global warming," said Apoorva Oza, head of climate change at the Aga Khan Foundation.
In Char Bagh, Poya observes the beneficial impact of trees on biodiversity, manifested in the return of long-absent birds.
«"Don't build a bird cage; plant a tree next to your house," he said.