Save the woodlands: Villagers depend on forests for survival, says study

GILGIT:

Communities living in the vicinity of woodlands tend to depend more on natural resources than others, said experts during a workshop in Gilgit on Tuesday. A research draft on links between poverty and environment was shared at a workshop organised by the World Wide Fund. More than a dozen environmentalists from government and non-government organisations were present.

“The villagers living around the forests rely on the forest to meet their financial requirements, especially on expenses incurred on health issues,” said WWF’s Dr Babar Khan.



The study was conducted in Astore’s Rama Valley to identify low-cost indicators which could monitor the changing economic state of families, including those who are more likely to exert harvesting pressure on forests.

The study models also checked if harvesting pressures varied between households and those who had been there longer. It noted that provision of health facilities might ease pressure on forests as families tend to cut more trees to compensate for the expenses incurred for the treatment.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 4^th, 2013.