Integrating wildlife conservation with community -based development in Northern Areas Pakistan

184 Pages·2016·8.47 MB·English

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Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, &
Graduate School
Professional Papers
1999
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Amjad Tahir Virk
The University of Montana
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Virk, Amjad Tahir, "Integrating wildlife conservation with community -based development in Northern
Areas Pakistan" (1999). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 10583.
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INTEGRATING WILDLIFE CONSERVATION WITH COMMUNITY-BASED
DEVELOPMENT IN NORTHERN AREAS, PAKISTAN
by
Amjad Tahir Virk
B.S., University of Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan, 1981
M.L.S., University of Balochistan, Quetta, Pakistan, 1985
M.S. University of Montana, USA, 1991
Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
University of Montana
1999
Approved by
Chairman, Board of Examiners
Dean, Graduate Schoor
Date
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Dedicated to My Beloved Deceased Father
Muhammad Bashir Virk
(1931 - 1978)
ii
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Virk, Amjad T., Ph.D., 1999. Fish and Wildlife Biology
Integrating Wildlife Conservation with Community-based Development
in Northern Areas, Pakistan (168pp.)
Director: Daniel H. Pletscher
The Northern Areas (NAs) of Pakistan are considered a biodiversity hot spot,
particularly for species adapted to rugged, high mountains. Many large mammal
populations have been depleted, primarily by over-hunting. Recent community-based
conservation and development initiatives may provide some hope for these species.
The Government of Pakistan and IUCN-The World Conservation Union implemented
a project to demonstrate the Community-based Conservation (CBC) approach for
conservation of biodiversity. I examined whether incentive measures used by the CBC
had any impact on attitudes and perceptions of local people in the project areas towards
wildlife and the CBC approach. Field research was conducted by using participant
observations, key informant interviews, and questionnaire surveys methods. Mountain
ungulate populations were monitored by involving community guides/former hunters to
see whether CBC had any effect on these populations.
I found that local people’s attitudes and perceptions toward wildlife and its
conservation were largely supportive. The villagers perceived village development,
collective income, and beauty of their villages as the primary benefit of wildlife, while
predation and competition with domestic stock were mentioned as the main
disadvantages. Most people supported CBC because they received benefits. Most
frequently sought advantages of the CBC were village development, village unity, and
reduction in poaching, whereas only 14% perceived any disadvantages of CBC. The
villagers linked conservation with development of their villages and believed the
sustainable use of wild species had the potential to pay for both the local costs of village-
based conservation as well as socio-economic development.
Mountain ungulate populations were monitored with Group Composition Counts
(GCCs) and Repeated Group Counts (RGCs). Sightings of Himalayan ibex {Capra ibex
siberica) and flared-homed markhor (Capra falconeri falconeri) increased considerably
both in Khyber and SKB following the initiation of the CBC program. For example, the
number of ibex observed in Khyber increased from 63 in 1996 to 152 in 1998. The
juvenile per 100 female ratios suggested healthy recruitment into these populations.
RGCs were found more suitable than GCCs for monitoring ungulate populations in the
community conservation areas.
Incentives were largely effective for inducing local community involvement in CBC
efforts. However, it is too early to predict whether CBC will be successful in the long run
in solving conservation problems facing NAs of Pakistan, but it has provided a new and
cost-effective way of conserving biodiversity. A combination of incentives and
disincentives will be needed to maintain the biological diversity of Pakistan.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dedication...................................................................................................................... ii
Abstract.......................................................................................................................... iii
Table of Contents........................................................................................................... iv
List of Tables ................................................................................................................. vii
List of Illustrations ..........................................................................................................viii
Acknowledgements........................................................................................................ ix
1. Introduction............................................................................................................. 1
1.1. Structure of the dissertation ............................................................................... 4
1.2. Community-based conservation; an evolving approach.................................... 5
1.3. Community-based conservation initiatives in Northern Areas, Pakistan ........... 8
1.4. Conservation and development...........................................................................10
1.5. Literature cited ....................................................................................................13
2. Community-based incentive measures for conserving wild species in Northern
Areas of Pakistan......................................................................................................18
2.1. Introduction .........................................................................................................18
2.1.1. Biodiversity conservation project ..........................................................20
2.1.1.1. Project approach ...........................................................................21
2.2. Study area............................................................................................................23
2.3. Community-based incentive measures introduced.............................................23
2.3.1. Social development incentives................................................................25
2.3.1.1. Villagers’ participation in resource appraisal and planning..........25
2.3.1.2. Village management plans ............................................................26
2.3.1.3. Terms of partnerships....................................................................27
2.3.1.4. Wildlife conservation plans...........................................................27
2.3.1.5. Water supply scheme ....................................................................28
2.3.2. Economic incentives ..............................................................................29
2.3.2.1. Productive physical infrastructure projects...................................29
2.3.2.2. Village conservation funds............................................................30
2.3.2.3. Trophy hunting .............................................................................31
2.3.3. Institutional incentives ...........................................................................32
2.3.3.1. Strengthening local institutions .....................................................33
2.3.3.2. Resource tenure and community empowerment ...........................34
2.3.4. Service-oriented incentives.....................................................................35
2.3.4.1. Training and capacity building......................................................36
2.3.4.2. Conservation education and awareness raising programs.............37
2.4. Literature cited ...................................................................................................37
iv
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