In response to the need to generate practical, replicable examples of viable wetlands conservation practice in Pakistan, four demonstration sites, each generally typical of a broader wetlands eco-region, have been selected for development. These four sites were chosen after an exhaustive consultative process and are each representative of a broad eco-region of Pakistan:
• North-west Alpine Wetlands Complex (NAWC);
• North-west Alpine Wetlands Complex (NAWC);
• Salt Range Wetlands Complex (SRWC);
• Central Indus Wetlands Complex (CIWC); and
• Makran Coastal Wetlands Complex (MCWC).
It is anticipated that these site-level initiatives will implement a suite of appropriate community-based measures to conserve biodiversity and to promote the sustainable use of wetlands resources. These measures will include the establishment of conservancies and the formation of local institutions that equitably represent relevant stakeholders for sustainable management of wetlands. They will also support the introduction of alternate income generation ventures, including production sector reform. The programme will have a high replicable value in a national environment in which both public awareness of wetlands conservation issues and technical capacity to manage freshwater and wetlands will have been substantially enhanced.
