Feburary 25, 2010:Badin
Need for Participatory Forest Management urged
The people living in forest areas in Sindh are the
poorest of the poor. This was stated by the Chief Conservator Forest
Sindh Aijaz Nizamani, while speaking at the seminar organized by Badin
Development and Research Organization in collaboration with WWF. He
said that Forest department need to adopt change management plan to
protect the forest with the incentive to local community to improve
their livelihood. He said that present lease policy may be changed
into partnership policy. The Chief Conservator said that agro forestry
may be promoted and in this regard the department would extend full
support to the civil society organizations. He said that department is
responsible for eight lakh acres forest area in Sindh and community
can play vital role in protecting and bringing more land under forest
cover. He said that department would make efforts for lining of Rajwah
minor dedicated to Booharki forest.
Dr. Khalida Sikandar Mendhro said that Badin District is located in
tail end of the irrigation system and acute shortage of water has not
only affected the environment of the district but the socio economic
conditions have also been affected. The Programme Coordinator Indus
for All Programme of WWF, Nasir Ali Panhwar said that Badin
Development & Research Organization with technical and financial
support of WWF has rehabilitated hundred acres in Booharki Forest in
Badin by addressing issues related to deforestation, shortage of
irrigation water and unawares among the community about the management
of forest. He said that this initiative would serve as successful
model in which community, Sindh Forest department and civil society
organization have worked together to rehabilitee the forest. He said
that WWF has extended support to Sindh Forest department to review the
Forest act 1927 so that new concepts of forest management may be
included in the act. He said that forest in Sindh is facing numerous
challenges including water shortages, poverty, over population,
increasing demand of fuel and timber, over grazing and illegal
occupation. The Conservator Forest Riaz Wagan said that forests in
Sindh can be protected with participatory approaches and department
would seek support from all stakeholders. Aftab Akhund Manager
Partnership Fund WWF said that with little support of WWF local
organization has been able to show changes on ground. He said that
management of natural resources may be given top priority both at
policy and local level. Mohammad Khan Samoon, Prof. Abadullah Mallah,
Abdullah Turk Ms. Najam Mallah, Haroon Gopang and others highlighted
the significance of forest for the social, ecological and economic
development. Later, the participants visited the Booharki forest,
where the representatives of Badin Development and Research
Organization apprised them about the major achievements including
plantation of Acacia on hundred acres and repair of dismantle
watercourse from RD 80 to 85. They said that bee farming would be
started soon with the involvement of local community.
For further Information:
Nasir Ali Panhwar
, Programme Coordinator,
Indus for All Programme, WWF – Pakistan
Contact: 0300 3079491,
napanhwar@gmail.com
Muhammad Zafar Khan
, Manager Communications and Environmental Education
Contact: 0300-3495901
, email: zafar.hilbi@gmail.com
Badrunnisa Tunio,
Communications Officer,
Indus for All Programme, WWF – Pakistan
arshi_mtunio@yahoo.com
