Ayubia National Park conservation project reviewed; 2nd phase urged.

LAHORE, November 10, 2009 (Balochistan Times): World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-P) reviewed the progress of Sub-Watershed Management and environmental Awareness Project in and around Ayubia National Park (ANP), NWFP. According to a press release, the project, which has financial collaboration of Coca-Cola Foundation, aims to improve and sustain the perennial flow of clean water in springs and streams of the area through an integrated watershed management approach. It supports the key stakeholder in the waste management and cleaning of the Saif-ul-Malook National Park. This was stated during the Project steering committee meeting of Sub-Watershed Management and Environmental Awareness Project in and around Ayubia National Park, NWFP. Rizwan ullah Khan Country Manager Coca-Cola Pakistan and Afghanistan attended the project steering committee meeting of the WWF-Ps and Coca-Cola Foundation joint project held recently in Nathiagali. Rizwan-Ullah khan in his remarks praised the project team for their performance and urged the need for project formulation for the second phase with broader scope and more geographic coverage. The meeting was also attended by Saeed-u-Zaman, Chief Conservator NWFP, Wildlife Department; Sakhi Jan Marwat, Director Galliat Development Authority; Naseem Hijazi, DFO Glaliies Forest Division; Iftikhar, Manager/DFO Ayubia National Park; Aftab-ur-Rehman Rana, Manager I-LED CNFA Pakistan; Bashir, Community Representative; Ali Hassan Habib, Director General WWF-P; Dr. Ejaz Ahmad, Deputy Director General WWP-P; Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, Manager Conservation NWFP WWF-P; Ms. Uzma Khan, Manager Conservation Program and staff members of the project. At the conclusion of the meeting Rizwan Ullah Khan presented 30 binoculars to Saeed-uz-Zaman, Chief Conservator Wildlife department as a project support for the information Centre of Ayubia National Park. Later on, he visited the project site at Namli Mera Khurd and saw the project intervention, especially the slope stabilization and streams treatments initiatives undertaken under the project.

(THROUGH ASIA PULSE)