Minister for Forests, Environment and Ecology, Choudhary Lal Singh today emphasized on incorporating forests into future climate change strategies to conserve earth’s natural wealth and called for active public participation in preserving greenery, protecting tree belts and to go for large scale plantations on all wasteland and areas available around road sides, canal banks, houses, schools and other institutions.The Minister was addressing a large gathering after inaugurating Timber Sale Depot at village Hore of Tehsil Marheen, District Kathua.MLA Hiranagar, Kuldeep Raj, Chairman, State Pollution Control Board, B Siddhartha Kumar, Chief Conservator of Forests, Farooq Gillani, MD SFC, Suresh Gupta, Director, Social Forestry, Ashwini Gupta, Member Secretary, PCB, Sameer Bharti, DFOs, Tehsildar, TSO, SDPO Border and villagers in large numbers were present on the occasion.Speaking on the occasion, Ch Lal Singh said that forests are the complex living community of the trees which provides home and shelter to a big range of animals and the soil beneath it inhabit the variety of flora and fauna playing significant role in balancing the nutrients cycle in the soil and forest.“If we were unable to arrest the effect of global warming, it will change our weather and ultimately farmers will bear the brunt causing considerable damage to their income”, the Minister maintained.Underscoring the importance of Social Forestry Department in maintaining and growth of green cover in and out of Forest areas, the Minister said that the department has been working relentlessly for increasing green cover by creating awareness among masses about the need of tree plantation by organizing plantation drives.MLA Hiranagar, Kuldeep Raj appealed to the minister for opening more Timber Sale Depots in Border areas to facilitate border dwellers.Later, the Minister also participated in the plantation drive held at Primary School, Hore.Ch Lal Singh said that safeguarding the environment and planting more trees is crucial for sustenance of human civilization; these not only provide clean air, habitat for various animal species, but also help prevent soil erosion and various natural and manmade disasters like flash floods besides maintaining ecological balance.