Educating local people for nature protection especially with reference to endemic plants in Chitral-Pakistan (a case study)

Abstract

Chitral having unique geographical conditions thus supporting about 173 endemic plant species. These endemic plants are used for various purposes like medicinal, fuel wood, food etc. Apart from the exploitation climate change and other anthropogenic factors like land clearing, construction works etc. also pose serious threats to these plants. Thus conservation program initiated to aware the community as well as young people. The method used basically formation of “Endemic Plants Clubs” of school students and village conservation committees (VCCs) to assess the information through brochures, posters and meetings. The educational program covered 54 schools and a total of about 5000 students. Similarly 32 VCCs of about 67 villages were also taken on platform. Repeated awareness sessions with students and community supporting with multimedia were approached for whole year. The questionnaire survey was carried out randomly with 191 female and 197 male among community and students to analyze the effect of conservational education sessions. The assessment results indicate length of residence and education is more significant. Moreover detail feedback showed that priorities for approach to use natural resources vary among community and students. Most critical issue is fuel wood consumption along with use as vegetable or medicinal plants and needs to be readdressed in further session with alternative approaches