Impact of population dynamics on Margalla Hills Ecosystem: a community-level case study

Abstract

Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) is a declared natural reserve of Pakistan, and Saidpur village is located at its foothills. To sustain livelihood, Saidpur community relies on natural resources and has established an intriguing relationship with the surrounding ecosystem. Human intrusion and related impacts were investigated through self-structured questionnaire from village community to gather information about demography, life practices, natural resource use, and their perception about the environment. Quadrat analysis revealed that the overall plant density was <4 plants/m², whereas ordination biplot has indicated significant reduction in plant cover and sparse distribution of species in areas close to human settlement. Survey results show that more than 50% families rely on forest wood as fuel source. Logistic regression has identified education paucity (odds ratio, OR = 2.6, 95% confidence interval, CI = 1.0–6.7), large family size (OR = 5.0, 95% CI = 1.5–16.6), and fuel type (OR = 3.5, 95% CI = 1.2–9.9) as significant predictors of accelerated forest cutting in MHNP. Male members were mostly illiterate and in favor to promote construction activities which reflects their low concern and casual attitude toward resource conservation. In this study, lack of awareness and peoples’ dependency on natural resources emerged as priority challenges, and hence, we suggest provision of alternate fuel sources, better education and sustained income resources as incentives to bring behavioral change. It is pivotal to involve local community before the adoption of any conservation plan as intervention strategy to protect MHNP ecosystem.

Keywords:

• Margalla hills
• forest cutting
• ordination analysis
• ecological restoration
• demographic pressure
• Islamabad

Acknowledgement

Authors pay sincere gratitude to Mr. Touqeer Izhar for his help in the preparation of GIS map.