In a recent development, Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah and Federal Minister for Environment & Climate Change Sherry Rehman have agreed to work on multiple eco-tourism projects in the province. The projects will be focused on two areas; resilient marine ecosystem and utilization of salinized land which will be financed by a newly established fund, the National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF).
It was decided at the meeting that eco-tourism will be developed on Keenjhar Lake and Miani Forrest while other projects will include depolluting Manchhar Lake, establishing fisheries cold chains and developing sustainable fisheries management framework.
The newly set fund will also finance sub-projects that would contribute toward the enhancement of the country’s resilience to natural hazards and climate changes. It will also enhance the country’s ability to respond and act in a crisis situation triggered by natural disasters. The chief minister also informed that NDRMF has approved PKR 1.98 billion budget for this year-long project which will be used for a resilient marine ecosystem and sustainable blue economy in the coastal areas of District Badin, Thatta, Sujawal, and Karachi.
The resilient marine ecosystem through sustainable management of fisheries resource ecosystem will be done by:
- Establishing fisheries protected areas through community engagement
- Establishing community policing through Fisheries Stewardship Agreements (FSA) in identified areas
- Developing Sustainable Fisheries Management Framework (SFMF) for coastal fisheries
- Establishing fisheries cold chain and installing flake ice machine or chilling unit
- Developing support facilities
- Installing solar-compatible RO plant for clean water supply
- Expansion of existing floating pontoon on two jetties
- Establishment check posts, management of field offices
- Replacing harmful fishing gears with sustainable equipment
- Converting 50 fishing trawlers to sustainable fishing boats
- Provision of equipment for small boats
- Establishing a model aquaculture farm and provision of livelihoods and family nutrition support for women
- Provision of 24/7 extension services for target districts and training & exposure of 1000 farmers and fishermen.
The chief minister also Miani Forrest eco-tourism project is worth PKR 645 million which is 13 kilometres from Hyderabad city and is a natural beauty. Similarly, Manchar Lake is a PKR 910 million project which is a freshwater lake providing a natural habitat for marine life and supporting numerous fishers in the area.
Pakistan to Build the World’s First High-altitude Nature Corridor for Ecotourism
The Ministry of Climate Change is working on a game-changing initiative focused on promoting the concept of ecotourism in the country. Going the extra mile, it is planning to build the first-ever high-altitude Nature Corridor in the world.
The height of the upcoming Nature Corridor would be above 10,000 feet and it would be a large-scale project, spreading from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), all the way to the jurisdiction of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and covering a total area of 4,000 square kilometres.
A key official involved in the planning and development of the Nature Corridor said that the project would give an opportunity to local as well as foreign travelers to explore the rich biodiversity and unique topography. This initiative also intends to protect the awe-inspiring flora and fauna of the region, including snow leopards, Himalayan brown bear, ibex, markhor (one of the national symbols of Pakistan), Ladakh urial, and blue sheep.
“It also provides adventure tourism because there are migration and displacement places for the wildlife and birds species where they can develop their habitats with changing weather patterns and ecological conditions,” the Nature Corridor official said.
“The local communities are being made aware of protecting the sites from environmental degradation because eco-tourism is linked to their livelihoods. In this way, we will not only preserve our tourist sites but will also generate employment for the local people.” he further added.
To learn more about the scope of ecotourism in Pakistan and other noteworthy initiatives in this regard, continue reading this blog!
Ecotourism is an environmentally-friendly way of promoting tourist activities in the country. As the world battles climate change and damage to natural beauty, there is a need for promoting environmental-friendly policies that maintain the sanctity of indigenous lands and livelihoods. In this blog we will look at the many ways ecotourism policies can be implemented in a country, and how Pakistan can do the same to ensure sustainable tourism in the country.
All About Ecotourism Policies
Ecotourism is a way of boosting employment opportunities and uplifting livelihoods, while at the same time ensuring that no amount of human activity causes habitat loss, pristine lands are unadulterated, and wildlife isn’t disturbed. In most regions, tourism is attracted towards indigenous lands and people and is a way for outsiders to experience the way of life here,
However, despite this, there is an emphasis on extracting the full potential of the tourism sector, the world over. This is because as global tourism has increased, it has been realized that a larger number of people can benefit from the tourism sector; by setting up local businesses, especially in the hospitality sector, local cuisines, artifacts, cultural industry, etc.
Let’s see how ecotourism policies can be introduced in each of these facets of the tourism industry.
Ecotourism for Hospitality Sector
As people travel, the demand for hotels and motels significantly increases. In order to satiate this demand, locals build up hotels; sometimes not taking into consideration how it might affect the natural biodiversity. Without any regulatory body to carry out feasibility studies, encroachments also appear in most cases.
These encroachments can be made on indigenous land, natural preserves such as wetlands, or in the way of natural streams which adversely affects the environment. These practices are, therefore, wrong and prove to be detrimental for the environment. In order to make real estate activity here sustainable, there is a need to carry out environmental studies of the region and divide each place in terms of zones to mark whether or not construction activities can take place. The regulatory body should ensure full compliance of these provisions so there are no breaches to the law. Moreover, each hotel, motel, or guest house, should be required to submit a detailed proposal of how it would dispose of garbage, accommodate increased cars for parking, and how it would utilize the open spaces for recreational activities.
Ecotourism for Cultural Industry
The cultural industry of a region is quintessential of that place and therefore has to be developed in a way that it thrives. In most regions around the world, tourism activities damage the region’s culture and societal norms. In this regard, there should be efforts made to keep the cultural values of the region intact, while at the same time experiencing these different and vibrant cultures up close.
Another important factor of the cultural industry is the artifacts and local cuisines, which in most cases are acquired tastes. In order to create a greater demand for these cultural services, the local governments can launch awareness campaigns, commission vloggers to produce digital content about the dos and don’ts of exploring the region’s culture.
In addition to this, tourists and even locals should be fined for any improper actions, such as painting on mountains/highways/trees, cutting down trees, hunting animals, littering, disturbing animals and people.
These are two broad measures through which ecotourism can be promoted anywhere. Let’s now take a look at how the government of Pakistan is working to ensure eco-tourism policies.
Ecotourism in Pakistan
Taking notice of environmental degradation and climate change, the incumbent government in Pakistan has introduced a number of initiatives to promote sustainable tourism in the country. While the country experiences a significant tourism push, there are a number of policy measures in place to ensure longevity in ecotourism policies.
These range from the anti-encroachment drive in the Kaghan Valley to halting the use of single-use plastic in Hunza. In addition to this, the incumbent government has also launched a country-wide One Billion Tree Tsunami Initiative, as well as plantation drives in all major provincial capitals. Moreover, the government is also all set to introduce initiatives to offset the effects of environmental degradation.
As hunting is a sport that’s not only enjoyed by the locals but also by international tourists as well, a comprehensive system of patents has been put in place to ensure that the population of the animals isn’t affected in any way. Through this system of patents, locals are employed by and the wage for their services is also fixed. Thus, in this way hunting activities are also regulated, while at the same time employing locals.
Each year, the number of tourists visiting Pakistan’s northern areas increases significantly. In order to make this industry sustainable and expand its base, there is a need for continuous innovation in terms of reforms. As these are introduced, we will keep updating you with the latest information.
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