Bio-diversity

SUKHI s objective is to work in poverty alleviation enhancement through different interventions focusing on improvement in, living conditions and infrastructure in the project area. Forestry is one of the sectors which plays an important role in the Pakistan s economy. Forests are important for the land and water resources, particularly in prolonging the life of water reservoirs, and irrigation network of canals. Forestry is also essential for maintaining and ensures the sustained supply of wood and wood products. Pakistan has very low percentage of forests i.e. 1.5% only. Forests and rangelands support about 30 million herds of livestock s. No serious efforts have been made so far to increase the present forest area and protection of these forests. The present forest area is threatened by: Illegal cutting of forest trees. Accidental fire. Controlled burning of pasture management. Fire or collection of honey and protection from wild animals. Trash and slash burning by community. Deliberate setting of fire in the forest to cover the theft of forest trees/illegal cutting. Fireworks on marriages and happy occasions and for game purpose burnout the forests. Lack of awareness among the community about utility of fruit plants and orchards as a means of poverty alleviation. Threat to the environment of the area due to forest cutting. Through an integrated project of fire protection and social awareness campaign we can eliminate these threats to forests. 3. Context/Baseline In consultation with the community of the area and the members of the organization namely (CASMA) Communities Association for Sustainable Development of Murree Areas has shown their deep desire to safeguard the deforestation in the area and the damaged being caused by the fire and their cutting. The project area is consisted of two union councils namely, Charehan and Bun, total population of these union councils is 18,306 persons. CASMA is a network, comprising of 144 Community Based Organization (each CBO represented by 25-50 members and 1 member representing 1 household) working on: Agriculture (Seed, vegetables growing, kitchen gardening, agricultural. inputs, etc.) Livestock (Livestock production, vaccination, breeding artificial insemination, deworming, Poultry production and breeding, etc.) Forestry (Plantation of Trees, raising of nurseries, Forest protection practices) Environment (Terracing, Check deforestation and Soil erosion, etc) Infrastructure (spring water tank, Roof water storage tank, water pond for irrigation, footpaths, etc.) 4. Project Objectives and Proposed Activity The primary objective of the Project is to ensure plantation of at least 50,000 forest trees and fruit plants in the project area. The following type of plants have initially and tentatively been identified in consultation with Forest Department (for forest plants) and with community (CASMA) for fruit plants: Forest Plants: Popular Pine Rubenia Alneths Bunn Akhrot Fruit Plants for households and orchards: Peach Apple Chinese Lemon Chinese grapes Plum Pear Another objective is to develop and increase awareness among the masses regarding tree plantation as well as fruit plants, decrease environment threat, check soil erosion, help in watershed management, improve regular flow of water in springs, check landslide, improve aesthetic value of the area, promote tourism industry, protect wildlife, etc. The beneficiaries of the Project are the people of the community of the area. Another objective is to promote social forestry through free distribution of fruit plants and forest plants in the effected areas from forest cutting. It is also intended to promote rain water conservation technology. (details given at Annex V containing photographs of the technology) 5. Project Strategy The project will involve local communities academia, Civil Society Organizations, private Sector and the concerned Government Departments. The project will bring together the NGO s working in the area and organized community groups. The CBOs (includes women CBOs) established in the areas and their participation is more productive in dealing with the objectives of the project. Government/Semi Government and Local Government organizations working in the area will be helpful to run the project successfully and they shall be fully involved in the project for awareness campaign. More than 500 activists of CASMA are well trained in different fields like Community Management, Agricultural Extension, Forest Plantation, Livestock Extension, Vegetable production and Kitchen Gardening, etc. The following activities will be taken in hand to start the work: SUKHI will launch awareness campaign through public meeting in the villages through involving CBOs Network, Government/Semi Government and NGOs working in the area. Banners, Wall chalking, Sign boards, will be displayed in the area and on the public service vehicles. Speech contest in the schools and stickers will be distributed to creating awareness of tree plantation in the students. With spread out population and students being far away from schools are the best activists to protect forest from accidental fire and watch on illegal cutting of forest trees while going and coming back from schools. They are also helpful to create awareness to their illiterate parents. The activists of CBOs will be trained in tree plantation in the forest areas. These activists will be helpful to the SUKHI for awareness campaign in the project area through commu

Pakistan