deh akro-ii wetlands watch may 2010

8/9/2019 Deh Akro-II Wetlands Watch May 2010

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Deh Akro-II

Wetlands WatchMonthly Newslett

Vol: 1 No:

May 20


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Deh Akro-II WetlandCommunity Constructed FirstEver Natural Hut as Watchand Ward Point at Chhachh

WetlandThe mobilization efforts ofCommunity Based WetlandManagement Project launched bySangat Development Foundationwith cooperation of Sindh WildlifeDepartment and funded by Indus forAll Programme, WWF Pakistan hasstarted yielding results that the localcommunity of Deh Akro-II wetlands

has started ownership of thewetlands of Deh Akro-II. .

In order to protect the naturalresources of the wetlands, the localcommunity has constructed the first

ever natural hut on the Chhachhwetland, which would be used forWatch and Ward Point.

According to the local community,they would use this natural hut aswatch and ward point, in order tocheck the over greasing, illegal

hunting of wildlife and habitatdegradation on the wetlands of DehAkro-II, which is wildlife sanctuaryand Ramsar site.

The wetlands indigenouscommunity has now fully realizedthat if these natural resources of thedesert wetlands complex once

depleted, they and their next

generation would confront with un-ending drought and food problemsin future.

Therefore, the local community hasrealized the potential and impendingthreats to their livelihood and their

According to the localcommunity, they would use

this natural hut as Watchand Ward Point, in order tocheck the over greasing,illegal hunting of wildlifeand habitat degradation onthe wetlands of Deh Akro-II, which is wildlifesanctuary and Ramsar site.


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livestock as well as the wildlife of thenatural wetlands.

The local community further saidthat frequent intrusion trips of

outsiders have also played havocwith the natural resources andlargely degraded the wetlands andtheir biodiversity. So, these watchand ward points would be used astools to stop degradation of thenatural resources of the wetlandsfrom the intruders.

Celebration of

International Biodiversity DayIn Deh Akro-II Wetlands Site

May 22, 2010

Sangat Development FoundationNawabshah has celebrated theinternational biodiversity day onDeh Akro-II wetlands with localcommunity with themeBiodiversity, Development and

Poverty Alleviation

While speaking on the occasion Mr.Nisar A. Brohi, Director Wetland

Program of Sangat DevelopmentFoundation said that communitybased biodiversity conservation andsustainable use is the only way tosustainable development and

poverty alleviation from the area.

Mr. Brohi appealed the local andindigenous communities of DehAkro-II to come forward and playtheir constructive role in theprotection and conservation of thenatural resources. These naturalresources are not only essential forthe survival of the human

community but are also solelivelihood means and feedingground for the animals and also localand migratory bird species.

Mr. Faiz Muhammad Panhwar,member of Wetland ProtectionCommittee (WPC) of first everCommunity Based WetlandManagement Project in Deh Akro-

II, said that if the local communitieswould have formed Watch andWard Committees (WWC) in thepast and would have been playing aswatch agents on the wetlandresources, todays condition of thefauna and flora would have been indifferent.

However, the timely biodiversityconservation and rehabilitation ofwetlands project by SangatDevelopment Foundation withsupport of Indus for All Programme,WWF Pakistan would have longlasting positive effects on thewetlands and those indigenouscommunities who and their livestock


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have been depending upon wetlandsresources, he added.

While speaking on the occasion, Mr.Ali Nawaz Bhatti an indigenous

wetlands community activist saidthat there is still need of large scaleand long term mobilization effortsfor creating awareness in thewetlands community.

Two Days Training Workshop On

Community BasedWetland Management

22-23 May, 2010

In Deh Akro-II Desert Wetlands

Two days training workshop onCommunity Based WetlandManagement was organized underCommunity Based WetlandManagement Project by Sangat

Development Foundation withsupport of Indus for All Programme,WWF Pakistan.

The first day training workshopactivities was the lectures andpresentations by the trainer on

community based wetlandmanagement.

Second day training workshop was ofthe field observation visit of thetraining participants to the sites of theproject area, i.e. Chhachh and YariWari wetlands of Deh Akro-II desertwetlands.

The workshop trainer discussed indetail on the Community Based

Wetland Management successfulmodels and strategies being executedby the respective local communities


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around the globe.

He further said that it is the fact thatwithout the local communityparticipation, no any biodiversity

conservation and protection plan ofthe wetlands could be successful.

Therefore, the indigenous

communities should realize theimportance of the wetlands and theirbiodiversity and also map outcommunity based plannings andstrategies to rehabilitate the wetlands.

He shared the examples of wellmanaged wetlands around the worldwhich are presently managed by theirlocal communities respectively.

A study and observation field visitwas also organized for the trainingparticipants of the project wetlands i.e.Chhachh and Yari Wari of Deh Akro-II. The participants observed andstudied the existing flora and faunaspecies, which are also under potential

threats from degradation andultimately depletion.

After having visited the wetlands, theparticipants were given the task by the

trainer to pen down their observationcomments on the paper and sharetheir observations with each other.

With this participants were alsotasked to write down the names ofvulnerable flora and fauna ofChhachh and Yari Wari wetlandsand also possible threats to theirvery existence.

The participants noted down a largenumber of fauna and flora specieswhich are under potential threat ofDeh Akro-II.

The local wetlands community lateron presented their observations in

the training program as well asshared with each other. They alsoheld detail discussion with eachother and also chalked out possibleplan to encounter the frequentdegrading of resources of thewetlands.


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Two Day Nature Study CampOf Local Youth and Studentsof Jam Sahib High School to

Deh Akro-II Desert Wetlands

29-30 May, 2010Under the Community BasedWetland Management Project bySangat Development Foundation,with cooperation of Sindh WildlifeDepartment and funded by Indus forall Programme, WWF Pakistan,organized two days nature studycamp in Deh Akro-II, more than 30students and local youth

participated in the nature studycamp.

The nature study camp wasfacilitated by Nisar A. Brohi,Director, wetlands program ofSangat Development Foundation.

Due to be the first visit of thestudents and teachers of the schoolto Deh Akro-II, they were givendetailed presentation on thebackground and ecological

importance of the Deh Akro-II desertWetland Complex.

He further said that Deh Akro-II isthe wildlife sanctuary and RamsarSite, which is hosting number ofvulnerable and endangered wildlifeanimals such as Marsh crocodile(Crocodylus palustris), Houbara bustard

(Chlamydotis undulata), Marbled teal

(Marmaronetta angustirostris), White-

eyed pochard (Anthya nyroca) and alsois the largest marsh crocodilesanctuary in south Asia.


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However, due to over greasing,illegal hunting and massivedeforestation, there has beenmassive losses of the habitats of thewildlife animals, which has exposed

them to the vulnerable positions andeasy prey to hunters.

The students took great interest in allactivities of the nature study camp.They paid observation and study

visit to the project wetlands area andtheir biodiversity.

They formed three groups, firstgroup was Flora Group, focusing onthe issues of the flora and suggestingpossible solutions of the problems,second group was Fauna Group,which was focusing on fauna of thewetlands, and highlighted the

possible threats and options andthird was Chhachh Group, whichwas discussed the over all issues ofthe Chhachh and Yari Wari wetlandsand devised a comprehensiveconservation and protection plan ofthe wetlands biodiversity and alsosustainable livelihood options for

the wetlands indigenouscommunities of Deh Akro-II.

Formation of First Youth Forumon Deh Akro-II Wetlands

The local youth of Deh Akro-IIwetlands has formed a first YouthForum which would work for therehabilitation of Deh Akro-II desertwetlands complex.Deh Akro-II local youth selected Mr.Muhammad Hanif Dahri, the forumsfirst president, with mandate todevelop coordination and linkageswith local stakeholders for thewetlands conservation anddevelopment.The forum offered thankful to SangatDevelopment Foundation team forgetting them realized the importanceof the wetlands and also helped themin formation of first Youth Forum. Theexpressed their full commitment toplay its constructive role in therehabilitation and revival efforts of the

wetlands and their biodiversity.

deh akro-ii wetlands watch may 2010

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