Implications in the rehabilitation of degraded watershed and rangeland in Hazara regions of Pakistan

Paper Details

Research Paper 01/07/2016
Views (387) Download (13)
current_issue_feature_image
publication_file

Implications in the rehabilitation of degraded watershed and rangeland in Hazara regions of Pakistan

Sultan Muhammad, Kaleem Mehmood, Anwar Ali
J. Bio. Env. Sci.9( 1), 441-447, July 2016.
Certificate: JBES 2016 [Generate Certificate]

Abstract

Hazara region is located in the north of Khyber pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Hazara region is one of the most important areas with respect to watershed and rangeland resources. The watershed and rangeland of the upper area of the region are being cleared for cultivation, grazing, fodder, fuel wood, and timber. Removal of vegetation on steep slopes in conjunction with intense monsoon rainfall has aided to massive erosion and landslides, resulting in deterioration of watershed and rangeland resources in particular and environment in general. Keeping in view the above situation, a local organization started support to locals for rehabilitation of environment through plantation of multipurpose tree species. The tree species were first raised in the nurseries and then provided to locals for restocking of deforested range land, watershed and wasteland. The study was arranged to study the impact of these restocking measures on the rehabilitation of degraded watershed and rangeland. The study concluded that local community mostly prefer to plant trees on their farmland or land which belong to individual due to their sole ownership and avoided rangeland and watershed due to communal ownership and interference in the use of these plants later on by the community. The study also indicates the purpose of plantation and fodder was found to be the most important among these due to dependence of the community on livestock. The study concluded that involvement of local community in the management of natural resources and integrating their local requirements are the keys of success for any rehabilitation program.

VIEWS 16

Ahmad S. 1993. Viability of agriculture resource base: A critical appraisal. In agricultural Strategies in the 1990s: Issues and options. Pakistan Association of Agricultural Social Scientists p. 449-466.

Ahmad S. 2001. Watershed Management in Pakistan: Achievements and Issue 1-17.

Chaudhary NP. 2008. Problem affecting pasture and rangeland management in the Himalayan region of Nepal. InProceedings of the XXI International Grassland Congress and the VIII International Rangeland Congress (Volumeii).

El-Juhany, Loutfy I. 2009. Forestland degradation and potential rehabilitation in southwest Saudi Arabia. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences 33, p. 2677-2696.

Farooq U, Ahmad M, Jasra AW. 2007. Natural resource conservation, poverty alleviation, and farmer partnership. The Pakistan Development Review pp.1023-1049.

German L, Ayele S, Admassu Z. 2008. Managing linkages between communal rangelands and private cropland in the highlands of eastern Africa: contributions to participatory integrated watershed management. Society and Natural Resources 21(2), pp.134-151.

Kometa SS, Ebot MAT. 2012. Watershed degradation in the Bamendjin area of the North West Region of Cameroon and its implication for development. Journal of Sustainable Development 5(9), p.75.

Marquis G. 2015. Reducing disaster risk in Pakistan through watershed management. Unasylva 66. p. 243-244.

Megahan and Amjad Chima M. 1980. World Forestry: Watershed Management in Pakistan Past, Present, and Future. Journal of Forestry 78-4, p. 217-219.

Milton SJ, Dean WRJ, Richardson DM. 2003. Economic incentives for restoring natural capital in southern African rangelands. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 1(5), pp. 247-254.

Monsen SB, McArthur ED. 1995. Implications of early intermountain range and watershed restoration practices (pp. 16-25).

Tabassum I, Rahman F. 2012. Degradation of Communal Natural Resources and their Impacts on Mountain Women: A Case Study of Karak District Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences (PJSS) 32(1), pp.157-169.