8/3/2011 national park national park Noun: A tract of land of - - PDF document

SLIDE 1

8/3/2011 1

“PROTECTING OPEN SPACES” ISSUES IN NATIONAL PARKS OF PAKISTAN

Anis ur Rahman and Ali Ahmad Jan Photos by Ghulam Rasul and Usman Ghani Himalayan Wildlife Foundation July 24nd 2011

na·tion·al na·tion·al park park

Noun: Noun: A tract of land of outstanding scenic or A tract of land of outstanding scenic or historically important area of countryside historically important area of countryside protected by the federal government for the protected by the federal government for the enjoyment of the general public or the enjoyment of the general public or the preservation of wildlife preservation of wildlife In 1810, the English poet In 1810, the English poet William William Wordsworth Wordsworth described the described the Lake District Lake District as a as a "sort of national property in which every man "sort of national property in which every man has a right and interest who has an eye to has a right and interest who has an eye to perceive and a heart to enjoy". perceive and a heart to enjoy".

SLIDE 2

8/3/2011 2

Deosai Deosai National Park National Park

Deosai Deosai declared a national park in 1993 declared a national park in 1993

Deosai

Deosai declared a national park in 1993 declared a national park in 1993

Involvement of HWF in

Involvement of HWF in Deosai Deosai started in the started in the same year as an effort to protect the bears same year as an effort to protect the bears

The project expanded into an effort to protect

The project expanded into an effort to protect the unique ecosystem in the unique ecosystem in Deosai Deosai and to and to manage the National Park manage the National Park

SLIDE 3

8/3/2011 3

SLIDE 4

8/3/2011 4

SLIDE 5

8/3/2011 5

SLIDE 6

8/3/2011 6

Successes Successes

Numerous parks and PA all over the

Numerous parks and PA all over the country, 11.5% of the country country, 11.5% of the country

Capital city adjacent to a NP

Capital city adjacent to a NP AJK Wildlif A t 2010 d AJK Wildlif A t 2010 d

AJK Wildlife Act 2010 approved

AJK Wildlife Act 2010 approved

Trophy hunting program is an

Trophy hunting program is an international success, community international success, community involved involved

Strong and vibrant NGO’s, well

Strong and vibrant NGO’s, well funded funded

AYUBIA NATIONAL PARK AYUBIA NATIONAL PARK

• 3312 hectares (8184 acres) core area of about 33 sq km,

3312 hectares (8184 acres) core area of about 33 sq km, peri peri protected area about 150 sq km. protected area about 150 sq km.

• 104 species of plants

104 species of plants

• The main floral species are

The main floral species are Cedrus Cedrus deodara deodara, , Blue Blue Pine Pine, Yew Yew, Silver Fir Silver Fir, Horse Chestnut Horse Chestnut and and Oak

• Oak. The

. The World World Wide Fund for Nature Wide Fund for Nature has launched an has launched an ethno ethno-

• botanical

botanical initiative here "to demonstrate the sustainable use of initiative here "to demonstrate the sustainable use of botanical botanical initiative here to demonstrate the sustainable use of initiative here to demonstrate the sustainable use of plant resources as a means for protecting plant resources as a means for protecting biodiversity biodiversity." ."

• The park harbors up to 203 species of birds. Many species of

The park harbors up to 203 species of birds. Many species of birds, including the birds, including the Golden Eagle Golden Eagle, the , the Vulture Vulture, , Sparrow Sparrow Hawk Hawk and the and the Hill Pigeon Hill Pigeon among others can be found here. It among others can be found here. It is also home to some of the rarer Himalayan pheasant species is also home to some of the rarer Himalayan pheasant species like the like the Kalij Kalij Pheasant Pheasant and and Koklass Koklass. . Ayubia Ayubia National Park National Park supports 31 species of mammals. Animals such as the supports 31 species of mammals. Animals such as the Asiatic Asiatic Leopard Leopard, Asiatic Black Bear Asiatic Black Bear, , Hill Fox Hill Fox and and Flying Squirrel Flying Squirrel can be can be found here. found here.

Asad Asad Lodhi

Lodhi 2007 2007

Conservation of Leopard in

Conservation of Leopard in Ayubia Ayubia National Park. University of Montana National Park. University of Montana

Communities around the park Communities around the park

Aumeeruddy Aumeeruddy-

• Thomas, Y., Z.K.

Thomas, Y., Z.K. Shinwari Shinwari., A. ., A. Ayaz Ayaz, and , and A.A.Khan A.A.Khan, A. A. 2004. , A. A. 2004. Ethnobotany Ethnobotany and management of fodder and fuel wood at and management of fodder and fuel wood at Ayubia Ayubia National National Park, North Park, North-

• West Frontier Province, Pakistan. People and plants working

West Frontier Province, Pakistan. People and plants working paper 13. WWF paper 13. WWF-

• UK

UK 08 villages

08 villages

6,000 households

6,000 households

42,000 peoples dependent on the park

42,000 peoples dependent on the park resources resources

Fodder/ fuel wood/ Grazing/ Construction

Fodder/ fuel wood/ Grazing/ Construction timber. timber.

Fuel wood usage Fuel wood usage

• Average family used 11,037 kg per

Average family used 11,037 kg per house per year (6 house per year (6-

• 7000 trees

7000 trees removed every fall) removed every fall) 500 kg/ per day or 14 000 kg per 500 kg/ per day or 14 000 kg per

500 kg/ per day or 14,000 kg per

500 kg/ per day or 14,000 kg per season per hotel ( season per hotel (Quercus Quercus / / Taxus Taxus) )

Vacation houses

Vacation houses = = 10,000 kg per 10,000 kg per house per year house per year

• (Bribe

(Bribe -

• Average Rs. 50

Average Rs. 50-

• 200 Bundle of fuel

200 Bundle of fuel-

• wood

wood

• Cutting a small tree Rs. 100

Cutting a small tree Rs. 100-

• 400

400.)

.)

SLIDE 7

8/3/2011 7

Failures/principal issues faced Failures/principal issues faced by our National Parks by our National Parks

Recognizing and respecting the resource/ value of

Recognizing and respecting the resource/ value of

• ur Parks
• ur Parks

Need for funding by government leading to

Need for funding by government leading to effective management with more staff with better effective management with more staff with better training and facilities training and facilities training and facilities training and facilities

wildlife acts do not recognize peripheral or

wildlife acts do not recognize peripheral or resident communities resident communities

Projects lapse and cause management problems

Projects lapse and cause management problems

Recommendations of the 1 Recommendations of the 1st

st National

National Workshop on PA’s July 14 Workshop on PA’s July 14th

th 2010

2010

• The need

The need for involving local people for involving local people in formulation of the management in formulation of the management

• plans. The need is to have a balance on Fauna and Flora protection with
• plans. The need is to have a balance on Fauna and Flora protection with

maintaining human needs. maintaining human needs.

• It is vital to identifying role and responsibilities of the key stakeholders

It is vital to identifying role and responsibilities of the key stakeholders and devise a mechanism for potential benefit sharing and and devise a mechanism for potential benefit sharing and find alternatives find alternatives for firewood/ for firewood/ fuelwood fuelwood collection, grazing rights, construction timber, and collection, grazing rights, construction timber, and use of other resources for local people in and around the PAs. use of other resources for local people in and around the PAs.

• monitoring mechanism for Protected Areas at, Provincial and National

monitoring mechanism for Protected Areas at, Provincial and National level; level;

• prepare Park Management Plans for all the Protected Areas. That should

prepare Park Management Plans for all the Protected Areas. That should contain immediate, medium term and long term actions contain immediate, medium term and long term actions

• Funding for putting plans into action

Funding for putting plans into action is the key to achieve the objective/ s. is the key to achieve the objective/ s. It was agreed to access funding on priority basis for those Protected Areas It was agreed to access funding on priority basis for those Protected Areas which have already prepared Park Management Plans both for ecological which have already prepared Park Management Plans both for ecological integrity and improving living conditions of local people in and around the integrity and improving living conditions of local people in and around the

• parks. To ensure continuous flow of financial resources
• parks. To ensure continuous flow of financial resources Trust Funds for

Trust Funds for PA’s PA’s was also recommended by the participants, was also recommended by the participants,

Recommendations of the National Recommendations of the National Workshop on PA’s July 14 Workshop on PA’s July 14th

th 2010

2010

• Managerial capacity of the existing staff

Managerial capacity of the existing staff in both in habitat in both in habitat improvement and community development. improvement and community development.

• The workshop also suggested to involve key relevant credible civil

The workshop also suggested to involve key relevant credible civil society organization/ and experts already engaged in conservation society organization/ and experts already engaged in conservation efforts in different capacities. efforts in different capacities.

• Developing linkages on scientific research institutions and

Developing linkages on scientific research institutions and

• rganizations in the country and outside Pakistan is desirable;
• rganizations in the country and outside Pakistan is desirable;
• Dialogues and partnerships are needed for Trans

Dialogues and partnerships are needed for Trans-

• Boundary

Boundary conservation efforts with China, Iran and Afghanistan were also conservation efforts with China, Iran and Afghanistan were also suggested at federal level; suggested at federal level;

• The need was also realized to involve civil society relevant

The need was also realized to involve civil society relevant

• rganizations to devise and deliver conservation awareness
• rganizations to devise and deliver conservation awareness

programs for the public; programs for the public;

Recommendations by HWF Recommendations by HWF

Investment by the Government to wildlife

Investment by the Government to wildlife departments departments

Strengthening institutions, staffing and training

Strengthening institutions, staffing and training

Reforming the wildlife acts to recognize

Reforming the wildlife acts to recognize community rights community rights community rights community rights

Projects are a one time intervention and not

Projects are a one time intervention and not sustainable sustainable

Thank You

H I M A L A Y A N W I L D L I F E F O U N D A T I O N

SLIDE 8

8/3/2011 8

International obligations in National Parks

CBD objectives. Rio 1992 CBD objectives. Rio 1992

The objectives of this Convention, to be pursued

The objectives of this Convention, to be pursued in accordance with its relevant provisions, are the in accordance with its relevant provisions, are the conservation of biological diversity, the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out q g g q g g

• f the utilization of genetic resources, including
• f the utilization of genetic resources, including

by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies, by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies, taking into account all rights over those taking into account all rights over those resources and to technologies, and by resources and to technologies, and by appropriate funding appropriate funding

CBD, POW introduction CBD, POW introduction

• According to the best available data on the status and

According to the best available data on the status and trends on protected areas (see UNEP/ CBD/ SBSTTA/ 9/ 5), trends on protected areas (see UNEP/ CBD/ SBSTTA/ 9/ 5), the current global systems of protected areas are not the current global systems of protected areas are not sufficiently large, sufficiently well sufficiently large, sufficiently well-

• planned, nor sufficiently

planned, nor sufficiently well well-

• managed to maximize their contribution to biodiversity

managed to maximize their contribution to biodiversity

• conservation. Therefore, there is an urgent need to take
• conservation. Therefore, there is an urgent need to take

co se at o e e o e, t e e s a u ge t eed to ta e co se at o e e o e, t e e s a u ge t eed to ta e action to improve the coverage, representativeness and action to improve the coverage, representativeness and management of protected areas nationally, regionally and management of protected areas nationally, regionally and globally. globally.

CBD objectives CBD objectives

Convention recognizes that biological diversity is

Convention recognizes that biological diversity is about more than plants, animals and micro about more than plants, animals and micro

• rganisms and their ecosystems
• rganisms and their ecosystems –

– it is about it is about people and our need for food security, medicines, people and our need for food security, medicines, fresh air and water, shelter, and a clean and fresh air and water, shelter, and a clean and , , , , healthy environment in which to live healthy environment in which to live