NGOs in the forest sector

AKRSP

The AKRSP serves a population of about 1,000,000 people living in an area of approximately 70,000 sq. km of Northern Pakistan. Forest resources are scarce and often far removed from habitation and the rapidly growing population is threatening the fragile ecosystem. AKRSP’s strengths are the in its Village Organizations (VO) and their potentials as extension tool. This organization is also heavily involved in agro-forestry. This kind of forestry has been emphasized because of the recognition of the growing need for forest produce. The AKRSP established its nurseries soon after its inception and started giving free saplings to farmers while also providing support for the establishment of village tree nurseries. This has resulted in large scale planting of timber, firewood and fodder species on agricultural land. The AKRSP estimates that about 45 million fuel wood trees have been planted in the period 1983-2003.

The following statistics prove the involved of AKRSP in the forestry sector, including farm forestry.

During 1990 AKRSP achievements in forestry were:

• A 20 kanal nursery established in Gilgit
• Plus tree surveys conducted in Baltistan and Gilgit
• Planting of plus trees in the six screening trial sites of the pilot project and in Khomer nursery.
• Shifting of the Populus deltoids clonal bank in Gilgit to Jutalapan and Khomer nurseries (AKRSP, 1990).

Table 12. AKRSP involvement in forest nurseries: cumulative as of Dec. 31, 1999

Source: AKRSP. 1999. Annual Report.

Table 13. AKRSP involvement in forest nurseries: cumulative & additions in 1998

Source: AKRSP. 1998. Annual Report.

Table 14. AKRSP involvement in forest nurseries: cumulative & additions: Jan 1982 - Dec 31, 1995

Source: AKRSP. 1995. Annual Report.

Table 15. Nursery development by AKRSP in 1995

Table 15. Nursery development by AKRSP in 1995

Source: AKRSP. 1995. Thirteen Annual Review.

Table 16. Forest plantations by AKRSP in 1991-1992

Source: AKRSP. 1992. Sustainable Forestry Development. Report.

Research by AKRSP

Biomass production of Common Farmland Trees in Gilgit Region:
In December 1994 AKRSP conducted a study through Dr. Javed Ahmed, AKRSP and Raja Walayat Hussain, PFI on biomass production of Common Farmland Trees in Gilgit region (Ahmed and Hussain, 1994). The study covered eight species - black poplar, white willow, hybrid poplar, willow, mulberry, Tree of Heaven, black locust and Russian olive.

Populus alba:
White poplar locally called sufaida is a tall deciduous tree of Mediterranean origin. It is light demanding and frost hardy. The wood being soft and white gives good quality rafters for construction, poles are used as electric and telephone lines etc. Other uses include shuttering, packing cases, paper and match industry. Small wood is used as firewood.

The result of the analysis gives the range and average ratio between air-dry and green biomass of white poplar and is shown in the table.

Table 17. Range and average ratio between air-dried and green biomass of white poplar

Source: Ahmed, J. and R. W. Hussain. 1994. Biomass production of common farmland trees in Gilgit Region. Pakistan Forest Institute publication.

Populus nigra:
Black poplar locally called sufaida has its origin in Europe, Central and Western Asia. It is a fast growing and multipurpose tree species. It is a light demanding, tall tree with a narrow crown. Its future potential in Northern Areas is good as it meets most of the demands of the farmers.

The result of the analysis gives the range and average ratio between air-dry and green biomass of black poplar and is given in the table below.

Table 18. Range and average ratio between air-dried and green biomass of black poplar

Source: Ahmed, J. and R. W. Hussain. 1994. Biomass production of common farmland trees in Gilgit Region. Pakistan Forest Institute publication

Salix:
Willow locally called baed is a moderate sized deciduous tree. It is found up to 1,800 m altitude growing in wet swampy places and on alluvial deposits.

A variety known as Salix alba or sweet willow yields quality timber. The result of the analysis gives the range and average ratio between air-dry and green biomass of willow and is given in the table below.

Table 19. Range and average ratio between air-dried and green biomass of willow

Source: Ahmed, J. and R. W. Hussain. 1994. Biomass production of common farmland trees in Gilgit Region. Pakistan Forest Institute publication

- Report on Willow disease in Phandar area, Gilgit:
Zakaullah Chaudhary, Forest Pathologist, Pakistan Forest Institute, conducted a study on the diseases of willow in Phandar village in May 1989 for the AKRSP and identified three species of willows Salix purpurea, S. seriocarpa and S. tetrasperma (Chaudhary, 1989). These species are used as fodder, basket-making, roof construction material and for timber. Many insects, fungi, bacteria, viruses and even higher plants are capable of causing damage to the leaves, branches, the hole and also the roots of Salicaceae. The willows were found suffering from three diseases: canker, witches-broom and sap-sucking insects incited by a bacterium, mycoplasma-like bodies and aphids respectively. Bacterial canker and aphid attacks appeared more common and damaging as compared with witches-broom disease.

The symptoms of canker may vary with the host species, the clone, ecological conditions and physiological state of the tree: ringing the buds, die-back of shoots and appearance in spring and chiefly on one or two years old shoots, of a slimy exudates, whitish, changing afterwards to brown. The witches-broom includes excessive and premature development of buds, reduction in leaf size with leaves often becoming brittle and chlorotic, shortening of internodes, followed by decline or death of affected branches or the plants. The plants give a black look due to the growth of nodules on the foliage which is visible from a distance. Sometimes the stem and bark of branches or the soil below also turn black.

Control:
The canker can be controlled through the propagation of disease-free stock. To protect the plants/cuttings from the attack the entire plant may be sprayed with Bordeaux mixture. The witches-broom can be controlled by planting of disease-free stock, sanitation cutting of infected trees etc. and the sap-sucking can be controlled by applying 30-100 grams of granules of Disyston, Temik, Lebaycid and Diazinonf in the soil around the tree base in 1-2 m circle, particularly to young plants.

AKRSP and IUCNPakistan
They issued a joint report of the Final Review Mission of Hunza Report Series (June1989). The report covers the main achievements of the period October 1987 to June 1989 and are as follows:
Village nurseries of poplar stool-bed were set up in Khaiber and Galapan villages of Gojal using material from good local trees (Populus nigra and Populus cilitia) and imported Populus deltoids; these are now well established.
A project nursery was set up in Gilgit to grow certain exotics and P. deltoids for the project. But this suffered from flooding and neglect during civil disturbance.
In the spring of 1987 the Pakistan Forest Institute (PFI) provided 18,000 imported P. deltoids to the project; most of these were sold to VOs outside Gojal.
Cutting from “plus” trees were selected from Gilgit district and made available to all seven pilot project VOs for nursery establishments.
(AKRSP/IUCN Pakistan, 1989).

IUCN Pakistan
This organization has been involved in sustainable resource development in the Northern Areas and its foremost project called the Mountain Area Conservancy Project (MACP) has been in operation since 1999. Its main thrust is the conservation of fauna and flora but the management of forests as natural habitats is also one of its main foci. In the Northern Areas it is working in the Gojal, Qashqar and Nanga Parbat areas.

It has proposed a comprehensive plan for joint forest management in three valleys of the Nanga Parbat Conservancy (Ali, 2004). The main objectives of this plan are:
- to ensure sustainable use of forest resources
- satisfy current and future needs of the local communities
- ensure development of biodiversity
- speed up economic growth

The report lays out details about various steps in developing the plan, its implementation and future management and financial resources to run the plan etc.

The following information has been taken from Ali (2004) and provides information on the forests of the three areas where the joint forest management plan is proposed.

Table 20. Forest description of three valleys in the Nanga Parbat Conservancy

Source: Ali, M. 2004. Prospects and implications of collaborative management of protected forests in Northern Areas of Pakistan. Report. IUCN Pakistan (MACP).

Aga Khan Planning and Building Services, Pakistan (AKPBSP/BACIP):
WWF-Pakistan and BACIP conducted a joint study on fuel wood consumption practices, interventions for fuel wood conservation at the domestic household level and relative impacts of conservation of forests and wood resources in the Northern Areas. The study aimed to assess the impact of efforts for fuel wood conservation at the domestic household level in terms of technology, products, construction techniques and community education on the subject. The results revealed that:

The major source of energy (86% average, with 82% used for cooking and 91% for heating) in the Northern Areas is fuel wood.

The average fuel wood consumption amounts to 964,000 cubic meters during winters and 234,883 cubic meters during summer. This amount to 1.1 million cubic meters per year.

The existing forests are only 10.5% of the total regional area, i.e., 7.04 million ha.

Interventions for fuel wood conservation developed by AKBSP (BACIP) are saving 12% to 60% fuel wood at the domestic household level per winter season calculated on the basis of single, double and triple intervention per household (i.e. October to March, with severe cold from November to February).

The other sources of fuel like fuel gas, coal, electricity or solar energy are either scarce, unavailable or unaffordable by the people.

The interventions for fuel wood conservation assessed during the study were fuel-efficient stoves, roof hatch windows and thermal insulation techniques for the buildings in the Northern Areas.

There is a major impact of fuel wood on deforestation. If the said interventions are implemented on a large scale then the pressures on forests for fuel wood come down to at least 60%. This will contribute towards forest conservation.

A sizeable number of people are involved in the wood trading business. Their alternative source of income has to be identified/developed in line with the conservation process.

The interventions also improve the general living conditions at the household level.
(Chaudhry, 2001).