Abstract ID: 3.8399 | Accepted as Poster | Poster | TBA | TBA

The rural area of Makhnial-Khanpur being one of the candidate sites for Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) was declared as Site for Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) under section 27 of KP Wildlife and Biodiversity, 2015 in January, 2022 by the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa vide Notification No. SO(Tech)/ FE& WD/VII-10/2021/PC/NPKC 1720-29 dated 12-01-2022 with a view to to restore degraded wildlife habitats barking deer and its associated species including Indian pangolin, Kalij pheasant and black partridges. This also target to stimulate scientific research and natural interpretation of biodiversity components and improving livelihood opportunities of local communities through ecotourism recreation activities thus to making them resilient to the environmental hazards and climate changes. As the rural area of Khanpur-Makhnial lies in in the heart of mountains spreading over an area of 52869 acres comprises of sub-tropical pine and broad leaved ever green forest and about 17854 acres is either privately owned or joint communal property of the people and is under use of various land uses whereby 50% population is dependent on agricultural enterprises. Human interventions majorly mining, deforestation and intentional wildfire in summer are huge threats to biodiversity loss and source of mountain degradation and habitat destruction. Besides, ill-grazing systems, fodder collection, illegal wildlife hunting contribute to biodiversity loss. Keeping in view the contextual position, management of this scientific site would be very difficult in the absence of the custodian communities’ support and cooperation so, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife & Biodiversity Act, 2015 serves as conservation tool and provides mechanism for the participatory management of the such protected site under section 37. In addition to this, constraints could be streamlined by implementation of resourceful management plan ensuring habitat restoration, ecosystem resilience, nature-based solutions and development of communities of Scientific site. This would serve as a purpose in achieving aligned sustainable development goal No. 15 (Life on Land) ensuring sustainable management of forest, reverse and halt land degradation as well as biodiversity conservation.