Newsletter Oct-Dec 2011
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T h e P a k i s t a n W e t l a n d s P r o g r a m m e Vol. 5 No. 51 w w w . p a k i s t a n w e t l a n d s . o r g Oct-Dec.2011 “Nothing Slips By” Articles in this Edition: Comparative analysis of biogas plants and its ecological and social impacts in Soon Valley Also Lurking Inside: Programme Updates Public Events Trainings Intern’s Corner Production Staff: Pakistan Wet Notes is compiled and edited by Nasir Iqbal Malik, Programme updates Coordinator, National Awareness-raising and “Controlling Illegal Wildlife ports and exit points in Pakistan. Illegal wildlife trade is not only causing huge loss Communications, PWP, Trade in Pakistan” of revenue to national exchequer but also Irfan Raza, Naila Azhar disturbing the ecosystem in the country Communication Assistant, leading to climatic change, various Graphic Design by deadly diseases and socio-economic Basharat Hussain. problems, said Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) Chairman Dr. Manzoor Soomro. Dr Ghulam Akbar from WWF Unless specifically credited, all Pakistan emphasized on the urgent need photographs have been taken to control illegal trade of wildlife that has by members of the PWP Team endangered many species. It involves live and may be used, with proper animals and plants or a diverse range of Pakistan Wetlands Programme WWF acknowledgment, for any bona products needed or prized by Pakistan and PMNH arranged a 2-days fide conservation purpose. humans—including skins, medicinal training workshop titled “Controlling ingredients, tourist curios, timber, fish and Illegal Wildlife Trade” on Nov 23rd, 2011 at other food products, he added. Pakistan Museum of Natural History Syed Mahmood Nasir, Inspector General (PMNH), Garden Ave, Shakarparian, Forests, said that there is an urgent need Islamabad. This training opportunity was for knowledge and action, including organized for customs authorities and strengthening of the role and other wildlife law-enforcement agencies effectiveness of the Convention on involved in controlling illegal trade from Continued on page 2 U N D P Continued from page 1 joint Protected Area and willingness key stakeholders in the process of International Trade in Endangered to work together. The Pakistan management plan development for Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Wetlands Programme under the Broghil National Park. For technical (CITES), applying new approaches Northern Alpine Wetlands Complex inputs a local consultant was hired through instruments such as the in collaboration with the Saving jointly by the KP Wildlife Department Convention on Biological Diversity Wetlands Sky High Project is and PWP-NAWC to develop an (CBD), mobilizing action by the facilitating these dialogues further at acceptable and implementable private sector and using other provincial and federal level. community based Management r e g u l a t o r y a n d i n c e n t i v e Meetings of wetlands Plan. The NAWC team conducted mechanisms at international, and facilitated several gatherings national and local levels to ensure management committee- with the custodian departments and that the positive values of wildlife nawc held the custodian communities. TWO trade are harnessed and its The second WMC meeting was Information centre for negative impacts avoided. held at Chitral town, where the Mr. Khalid Mahmood, President of Broghil National Park District Coordination Officer WWF-Pakistan, said that the primary chaired the session. The members established motivating factor for wildlife traders come up with feasible suggestions The NAWC has developed certain is economic, ranging from small especially in the sustainability materials on Broghil valley's scale local income generation to factors after the end of the wetlands resources and other major profit-oriented business, such programme. The local aspects since its operation. After as marine fisheries and logging administration and the KP Wildlife getting the National Park status, the companies. He said WWF Pakistan Department were selected as focal programme worked out with the seeks and activates solutions to the points after the withdrawal of the custodian Wildlife Department to problems created by illegal and programme from the region. e s t a b l i s h a n d o p e r a t e a n unsustainable wildlife trade. The Site management plan Information Centre for Broghil legislation is a vital way to control National Park. In this connection, wildlife trade, but to be successful, developed for Broghil the wildlife department provided laws need to be widely understood, National Park space within the office of Chitral accepted and practical to apply. In the light of improved status of wildlife Division where the NAWC This training programme was first of Broghil Valley as National Park, the established an information centre. its kind in the country and will be site Strategic Plan was developed The management, maintenance helpful for conservation of and shared with the custodian and operation responsibility was biodiversity of Pakistan by Wildlife Department of Khyber handed over to the department. controlling illegal trade of wildlife Pakhtunkhwa. This custodian Winter wildlife census species now reaching to billions of Government Department is also in dollars. survey conducted in the process to develop and Consultation on inter implement a community based Qurumbar Valley, Ghizer provincial protected area participatory management plan in To explore the biological aspects of held the context of “National Park” with recently established Qurumbar focus on wetlands, associated N a t i o n a l P a r k , N A W C i n F o l l o w i n g t h e s u c c e s s f u l biodiversity and other natural collaboration with the Saving establishment of two wetlands resources. Both the conservation Wetlands Sky High Project and the based National Parks in Northern partners kept close liaison with the GB Forest, Wildlife Department Alpine Wetlands Complex, the custodian communities and other conducted the winter wildlife survey concept for establishment of first ever inter provincial protected area initiated with the custodian departments at both sides. These two protected areas are inter linked in terms of boundaries, the corridors movement of key wildlife and shared habitat of the waterfowls and other bird species. In this Picture connection the first consultative gathering was conducted between the custodian departments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Gilgit Baltistan. The outcome of the first gathering was fruitful while indicating the facts; that the two sides fully support the concept of Continued on page 3 T h e P a k i s t a n W e t l a n d s P r o g r a m m e Vol. 5 No. 51 Oct-Dec.2011 Continued from page 2 in the buffer zone. The survey teams lake is facing eutrophication more time as planned because of comprise of 16 individuals problem due to washing, bathing, reluctance of the women to visit consisting 3 members within each vehicle washing and dust particles Chitral town for the first time in their group equipped with binocular, runoff from vehicle running around life and to complete the formalities in GPS, spotting scope and standard and degradation of the buffer zone the bank and the Social Welfare data sheets. Direct count method vegetation cover along with a huge Department. The initiated process was applied during the survey. solid waste burden on the fragile was successfully completed while Appropriate vantage points were wetlands ecosystem. Following the getting legal registration from the fixed to avoid repeat subsequent in recommendations of David Social Welfare Department of the next survey. A total of 743 ibex Jhonson's (an Oxford student) who Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. population were recorded in 8 conducted a research study on Tunnel vegetation different sub valleys of Qurumbar Shandur, NAWC first assessed the farming models introduced where highest population of 169 existing Land Use trend of the plateau. Then a detailed GIS map In Qurumbar valley, through mutual Himalayan ibex was observed in THREE was developed and shared with the understanding with the custodian Qurumbar Nallah, 140 in Sarband QSWCDO, a site was selected for and Matrandan Nallah, 130 c u s t o d i a n d e p a r t m e n t ' s - representatives for inputs, and Tunnel vegetation farming model in Payakhin and sokhterabad Nallah Badswat village of Qurumbar valley. and in Belhans and Barsworth 108 d e v e l o p e d a G I S b a s e d Environment friendly Land Use plan. Similarly the site was also selected respectively. Out of the total for the activity in Garm Chashma population, the survey team The proposed Land Use plan encompasses the related issue like village of Broghil valley. Both the recorded 47 trophy size male ibex. selected points are located at Nocturnal mammals such as Snow solid waste management, buffer zone demarcation, relocating the highpoint as compared to leopard and fox were detected surrounding fields considerably through faeces and scraps while camping, parking, shopping sites and remarking the access routes helpful to manage it in snowfall and small hare and pikas were seen heavy rain. As the areas fall under during day light. The result showed within the plateau. Women wetland harsh climatic conditions, heavy that theibex population in Qurumber snow fall is expected each year in Valley is quite satisfactory than other conservation committee winter season, the expert team wildlife species. The population of registered recommended use of iron rods in Ibex has been increasing due to the the model. On experimental basis conservation measures and With the aim to extend legal support to the established women two off season vegetation tunnel community interest.