deh akro-ii community in action

8/9/2019 Deh Akro-II Community in Action

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Deh Akro-II WetlandsCommunity is in

Action


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Deh Akro-II

Community is in

Action

The mobilization efforts of Community

Based Wetlands Management Project

launched by Sangat Development

Foundation with cooperation of Sindh

Wildlife Department and funded by

Indus for All Programme, WWF

Pakistan has started yielding results that

the local community of Deh Akro-II has

developed the ownership concept of the

wetlands of Deh Akro-II. They have

started working on wetlands

rehabilitation and their resourcesconservation as well as sustainable use.

In this regard, the indigenous

communities of Deh Akro-II wetlands

launched campaign for the protection of

wetlands resources. They have been

establishing (Jhoopras) huts on wetlands

with a view to use these Watch and

Ward Points for the safety and

security of the fauna and flora of

wetlands in Deh Akro-II.

The local community has committed to

regularly sit in these huts as playing as

Watch agents on the wetlands of Deh

Akro-II.

While sharing their views on

construction of first hut on Chhachh

Wetland, the indigenous community of

Deh Akro-II said that due to lack of

awareness, the local people no doubt has

degraded and destroyed the natural

resources of the wetlands. However, the

local community was also no an

effective mechanism to block the

frequent degradation and depletion of

biodiversity resources of wetlands inDeh Akro-II wildlife sanctuary from

intruders and sheep herders.


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The local community further said that

frequent intrusion of outsiders has

significantly played havoc with the

natural resources of the wetlands.

Presently, the wetlands have

multidimensional threats, i.e. over

greasing, illegal hunting, deforestation

on the wetlands sites are the current

issues facing wildlife of the Deh Akro-II

Wildlife Sanctuary.

The local community further added that

they have formed village/wetland based

Watch and Ward Committees with firmcommitment to protect and conserve the

biodiversity of wetlands of Deh Akro-II.

Celebration of

International Biodiversity Day

In Deh Akro-II Wetlands Site

May 22, 2010

Sangat Development Foundation

Nawabshah has celebrated the

international biodiversity day with localcommunity of Deh Akro-II with titled

Biodiversity, Development and

Poverty Alleviation

While speaking on the occasion Mr.

Nisar A. Brohi, Director Wetland

Program of Sangat Development

Foundation said that community based

biodiversity conservation and

sustainable use is the only way to

sustainable development and poverty

alleviation from the area.

He further said that unsustainable use as

well as large scale degradation of natural

livelihood resources of the local

communities has caused depletion of

wetlands resources, ultimately increased

poverty ratio in the wetland community.

Mr. Faiz Muhammad Panhwar,

community representative and member

of the Wetland Protection Committee

(WPC) of Community Based WetlandManagement Project in Deh Akro-II said

that the local community has now

realized that without their effective

participation, the remaining fauna and

flora resources of the wetlands could not

be protected and preserved. However, if

these natural resources are conserved

and protected, their new generation

would be having honorable livelihood.

He appealed the local and indigenous

communities of the Deh Akro-II to play

their pro-active role in the protection and

conservation of the natural resources.

These natural resources are not only

essential for the survival of the human

community but these are also sole


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livelihood means and feeding ground for

the animals and also local and migratory

birds species.

He also expressed his full commitment

that he would make all possible effortsto play his due role in the conservation

of natural resources of the Chhachh

wetland which is on the site of his lands

and his residential place.

He also directed his farmers to be alert

on anti-natural elements who have bent

upon destroying the natural resources of

wetlands undertaking illegal hunting as

well as deforestation activities on the

wetlands.

He further added that if the local

communities would have formed Watch

and Ward Committees (WWC) in the

past and would have been playing as

watch agents on the wetland resources,

todays condition of the fauna and flora

would have been in different.

He further added that the local wetlands

community should accept responsibility

and work for the revival and sustainable

management of the remaining natural

resources of the wetlands.

He offered thanks to Sangat

Development Foundation and WWF

Pakistan team for their timely

interventions for the conservation and

protection of the natural resources of the

wetlands.

The timely biodiversity conservation as

well as rehabilitation of wetlands would

have far reaching positive effects on the

wetlands and those indigenous

communities who and their livestock

have been depending upon wetlands

resources.

While speaking on the occasion, Mr. Ali

Nawaz Bhatti an indigenous community

activist said that there is still need oflarge scale and long term mobilization

program for creating awareness in the

wetlands community.

The wetlands community ofcourse has

played havoc with the biodiversity of the

wetlands of Deh Akro-II but it has surely

been done due to unawareness of the

importance of the wetlands and their

biodiversity. But the local community

has now greatly realized the importanceof wetlands and they have expressed

their full commitment, and would be

leaving no stone unturned for the revival

of the glamour and vanity of the

wetlands as it was 30 years ago, he

added.

Mr. Bhatti also appealed to the Sangat

and WWF Pakistan for community

support until and unless the wetlands

biodiversity could not be revitalized and

revived.

deh akro-ii community in action

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