Volume 8, Issue 2, September 2014, Pages 317–323
Hazrat Bilal1
1 Department of Environmental Science, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
Original language: English
Copyright © 2014 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
The study was aimed to document the suitability of Eucalyptus for Malakand (34.50° N, 71.75° E) social forestry project. The project was started in February 1987 with the aim to improve life style of villagers by improving the yield and use of the hillsides, and marginal lands. The methodology used was questionnaire survey; point count and line transect method. It was found that the project has not yet achieved its objectives and caused economical, ecological, and social problems in the project area. The revenue generated from Eucalyptus plantation remains in few hands of the community. It was found out that project is not socially acceptable, ecologically viable and economically feasible. The poor are suffering more as they are more dependent on the natural resources that are water and soil. The results showed that wheat production has been reduced from 1350 to 1100 kg per hectare. The results indicated that birds prefer native species (Ziziphus mauritiana 26% and Acacia nilotica 14.6%) over Eucalyptus (2.6%) for nesting. As a result Eucalyptus supports less bird's diversity as compared with native species. Many species of birds, cattle and other wild animals are suffering because of their dependency on water and soil. Government has to look for sustainable and environment friendly alternatives. Moreover introduction of new plant species to an area should be made after careful examination of hydrological and geological conditions of the area by keeping in mind the possible impacts on environment.
Author Keywords: Social forestry, Revenue, Eucalyptus, Malakand, Bird diversity, Sustainable development.
Hazrat Bilal1
1 Department of Environmental Science, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
Original language: English
Copyright © 2014 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
The study was aimed to document the suitability of Eucalyptus for Malakand (34.50° N, 71.75° E) social forestry project. The project was started in February 1987 with the aim to improve life style of villagers by improving the yield and use of the hillsides, and marginal lands. The methodology used was questionnaire survey; point count and line transect method. It was found that the project has not yet achieved its objectives and caused economical, ecological, and social problems in the project area. The revenue generated from Eucalyptus plantation remains in few hands of the community. It was found out that project is not socially acceptable, ecologically viable and economically feasible. The poor are suffering more as they are more dependent on the natural resources that are water and soil. The results showed that wheat production has been reduced from 1350 to 1100 kg per hectare. The results indicated that birds prefer native species (Ziziphus mauritiana 26% and Acacia nilotica 14.6%) over Eucalyptus (2.6%) for nesting. As a result Eucalyptus supports less bird's diversity as compared with native species. Many species of birds, cattle and other wild animals are suffering because of their dependency on water and soil. Government has to look for sustainable and environment friendly alternatives. Moreover introduction of new plant species to an area should be made after careful examination of hydrological and geological conditions of the area by keeping in mind the possible impacts on environment.
Author Keywords: Social forestry, Revenue, Eucalyptus, Malakand, Bird diversity, Sustainable development.
How to Cite this Article
Hazrat Bilal, “Eucalyptus in Social Forestry and Sustainable Development-District Malakand Pakistan,” International Journal of Innovation and Scientific Research, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 317–323, September 2014.
