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Project Fact Sheet
 

PAK/98/G31/A/IG/99

Mountain Areas Conservancy Project (MACP)

Introduction

MACP is designed to reduce biodiversity loss in the northern mountains of Pakistan where population pressures have threatens the sustainability of the regional ecosystems. The project will exercise community-based approaches to conservation management. Four conservancies have been demarcated encompassing a representative sample of the bio-geographic zones of the high mountains. These include the Gojal and. Nanga Parbat conservancies in Northern Areas and the Trichmir and Qashqar conservancies in NWFP covering a total area of some 11000 square kilometers. The Gojal conservancy area lies in the Korakoram range and has an area of 2000 Km2. It has a population of 3l827. The Nanga Parbat conservancy lies in the Western Himalayas and has an area 32000 Km2 with a population of 20000. The Trichmir conservancy lies in the Hindukush Mountains. It has an area of 3070 Km2 and a population of 15000. The Qashqar Conservancy lies in the foothills of the Hindukush, has an area of 2865 Km2 and a population of 23000. The project area has an overall average literacy rate of 14.3 %. Total number of private and government schools is 1072.

Seven outputs have been set to achieve the objectives of the project. One of the outputs (Conservation Education) has been assigned to WWF-P.

Output 2 (Conservation Education):

Conservation values will have been imparted to local communities through a well-targeted education and awareness drive, with avenues developed for the sharing of information /experiences regarding wild resource management amongst villagers

Justification

Project is intended to contribute in conservation efforts to counter following threats:

  • Degradation of rangelands by domestic live rock, leading to a loss of habitat quality for wild ungulates.
  • Hunting of endangered wild species
  • Forest loss owing to the unsustainable harvest of fuel wood, trees for the construction of shelters, and fodder for livestock.
  • Over harvest of medicinal plants and other economically useful flora.
  • Disease transmission from livestock to wild fauna, particularly closely related species.

Objectives

Development objective:

To protect and ensure the sustainable use of biodiversity in Pakistan’s Korakoram, Hindu Kush and Western Himalayan mountain ranges through application community-based conservation paradigm

Immediate objective:

Establishment and effective long-term management of four community-based conservancies covering the ecological landscapes, zoned for multiple uses, backstopped by an enabling institutional, policy, regulatory, and financial framework

Main activities

Following major activities would be carried out under this project:

  • Assess conservancy-specific communication and conservation awareness needs through a Scoping exercise.
  • Prepare a regular conservation fact sheet for radio/print media
  • Develop linkages with education/awareness initiatives of regional conservation strategies
  • Organize conservation related discussions, interviews, radio talks
  • Select and train teachers for ‘train the trainers’ activities
  • Organize teachers training workshops
  • Organize lectures on conservation related topics.
  • Design resource materials for use in community outreach
  • Organize awareness raising activities as part of inter-village exchange programme
  • Youth leaders trained to organize various events and activities on conservation. Agenda for greening programme for youth organizations developed
  • Develop conservation awareness materials for use by religious leaders.
  • Organize conservation awareness discussions/ workshops for religious leaders

Achievements

  • Staff recruitment and orientation

  • Office premises establishment

  • Staff training (Participatory Rural Appraisal and Training of trainers)

  • Communication and Environmental Education strategy.

    • Secondary data collection and PRAs

    • Scoping Workshops

    • Strategy documentation

  • Linkages with partner organizations

  • Teacher-training workshops conducted

  • Fact sheets prepared for dissemination in the communities

  • Youth organizations and leaders identified

  • Selection of consultant to develop book on "Islam and Conservation".

Project Details

Funding agency: GEF/UNDP

Executing agency: IUCN-P

Starting date: 17-06-1999

Location: Conservancies

Project duration: ` 7 years

Date Fact sheet compiled: 1-2-2001

Contact person: Dr. Ghulam Akbar, Director Environmental Education

WWF-PAKISTAN ISLAMABAD