QUETTA   -  The Balochistan govern­ment has established the first-ever forest school in Ziarat to educate the youth regarding the pres­ervation of forests in the area. The government has also decided to form a special force and en­gage the local community to ensure the preserva­tion of the forest, an of­ficial of the Balochistan government said. In co­ordination with the de­partments concerned, steps would be taken to control the illegal cutting of trees, he remarked. He said an effective action plan would be formulat­ed to curb illegal defor­estation. He said an ex­tensive awareness drive was afoot to sensitize the citizens about the impor­tance of the forests. The illegal cutting of centu­ries-old trees in various parts was damaging the eco-system of the prov­ince and the government would be taken measures to control the unfettered cutting of trees. The Balo­chistan government has declared Ziarat as a third national park under its efforts to increase pro­tected areas, which will boost adventure tourism, sustainable employment opportunities for local communities and ecosys­tem restoration. He said these forests play an im­portant role in providing both green and environ­ment-friendly emissions besides being a major source of income to the local communities.