Wetlands Conservation Programme launched
By Adnan Rafique

ISLAMABAD—The Federal Minister of Environment Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat formally launched The Ministry of Environment’s Pakistan Wetlands Programme, an evolving intervention, being implemented by the WWF Pakistan on Saturday, at a local hotel.
This seven-year Programme is being supported by a consortium of national and international donors including the Global Environmental Facility, the United Nations Development Programme, the Royal Netherlands Embassy, WWF International and the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund. In addition to the Minster, representatives from Royal Netherlands Embassy along with other dignitaries graced the occasion. The Pakistan Wetlands Programme aims to promote the protection and conservation of Pakistan’s wetlands and their associated biodiversity. Headquartered in Islamabad the Programme will facilitate in creating an enabling environment through training, awareness and policy development and ensure provision of replicable examples through community-based management plans for four wetland complexes representing specific ecological regions.
The inception workshop was intended to achieve certain significant objectives that would serve as catalyst for accomplishing the Programme’s commitment. Moreover, the workshop served as a forum for introducing the Programme team to its stakeholders and partner organisations and to strengthen ownership and commitment to the Programme in addition to creating awareness on the wise-use of wetlands resources in the country. The inaugural and technical sessions of the workshop were consciously amalgamated with several other activities to inculcate the concept of wetlands conservation and their wise-use. The technical sessions were interlaced with a traditional dance from the community representatives of the Hirrak Foundation from Kot Adu gave performance on the conservation of ‘Blind Indus Dolhin” to evoke the spiritual and cultural outlook on this mega event. The Federal Minister marked the occasion by inaugurating; The launch of the crane poster, named the Cranes of Pakistan, depicting the illustrations of cranes in Pakistan. The poster will later be made accessible for the public, educational and research institutions for use; Launch of a computer-based network portal. This network will allow the users to share useful information on wetlands and seek support for scientific and research based quires from across the globe. Organisations and individuals that are generally interested or involved in wetland conservation in Pakistan can make use of this interactive venture as a useful communication tool. The Programme’s brochure, embellished with a common wetlands pheasant on a lotus leaf, was also instigated by the Federal Minister. The brochure is intended to serve as a preliminary source of information on wetlands for the general public.
The Pakistan Wetlands Programme involved schools from the twin cities to compete in developing 3-D model on wetlands. The participating schools were instructed to develop models on six themes focusing different perspectives on wetlands; Flora and Fauna of Wetlands and Types of Wetlands for the Montessori level; Wetlands of Pakistan and Future of Pakistan’s Wetlands for the Primary level, Wetlands and People and Wise Use of Wetlands for the Secondary level were selected.
This innovative approach to create awareness was part of the Programme’s awareness raising and school outreach initiative. It was apparent from the overwhelming response received from the participating students that the Programme had managed to sensitise these junior ambassadors to care for and conserve these precious ecosystems (ecologically important constituent) of our environment.