Expected Results

Progress

The biodiversity conservation (BDC) sector of Palas Conservation and Development Project has an integrated role in many other sectors, such as Natural Resource Management and Community Forest Management. A Programme Officer heads the sector and to date has had no significant field staff working for biodiversity. However, as directed in the PC-I, the biodiversity conservation sector will execute activities with six community facilitators that have recently been recruited. The PO-BDC also has to work closely with the Kohistan Wildlife Unit that is government (GoNWFP) counterpart in executing some of the PCDP activities. Till date, the full KWU staff has yet to be recruited and since the start of PCDP, KWU staff have mostly been involved in constructing field huts in Kohistan (as part of the GoNWFP contribution to PCDP).

· Executing environmental awareness programmes in the valley;
· Preparing floral and faunal inventories as well as completing habitat mapping;
· Development and implementation of species recovery plans;
· Developing the options for sustainable use of non-timber forest products;
· Managing wildlife depredation of crops and livestock;
· Coordinating long-term biodiversity research programmes.

To date the biodiversity sector has conducted surveys in various parts of both Palas valley and Kohistan, covering both large mammals such as Markhor, key species such as western tragopan and main faunal groups such as birds. Habitat surveys have also been conducted in core-zones and a study into the utilization of NTFPs in the valley has been initiated. Other outputs are: -

One initial set of awareness raising material has been produced and distributed during an initial jirga held with the Palasi people.

Monitoring of certain indicator and key species (western tragopan and koklass pheasant) has been carried out in core-zones using pre-PCDP monitoring points.

One NRM plan is being implemented in Kaigah valley, which is being sponsored by WWF Pakistan Scientific Committee and implemented by WWF Pakistan, NWFP Wildlife department and the communities of Kaigah valley. Kaigah lies north of Dassu and holds a very viable population of Markhor.

Initial survey of crop depredation has been carried out and it has been decided to make three demonstration plots (all in upper Palas), so far two sites have been identified as potential sites and procurement of protection material has been initiated.

Substantial work has been carried out in regards to habitat mapping and remote sensor, taking on from work initiated during Himalayan Jungle Project. The PCDP has now a complete set of working maps covering most geographical variables as well as satellite imageries from various years ranging from 1980s to the present date. All this information and data provides a holistic view of forest, habitat and land-use change over the last few decades. It also allows us to prepare a detailed database that be visualized and analyzed using the latest software.
Along with these activities, the biodiversity sector is also responsible for coordinating and usually advising and supervising biodiversity related studies being carried out by project staff (Masters student in Leeds University, UK and NWFP Wildlife department, Range Officer obtaining his Masters in Forestry Extension, Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad). A lot of PCDPs graphics are also collected by biodiversity sector and provided for the projects documents.

A lot of the above mentioned work is being facilitated through PCDP consultants and in particular WWF Pakistan, who have had a long relationship with the pre-cursor to PCDP, Himalayan Jungle Project. A total of 15 consultancies have been awarded to WWF Pakistan, some of which started in Year 2 and the remaining planned to start during the first quarter of Year 3.

The outlook for the coming project year (Year 3, July 2002 to June 2003) should see more physical interventions to promote biodiversity conservation in the valley as well as encourage a change in attitude towards managing the forests and natural resources that are found in Palas valley.