Broad leaved forest at Garam Thon In district Haripur, about 39% (178,100.93 Acre) area is covered with sub tropical scrubs and pine forests, growing on road sides, range lands and low & high hills. Most of the range lands are covered with Sanatha / Ghwaraskay, while major forest trees include, but not limited to, Phulai, Chir Pine, Olive, Coil and a small population of Deodar. Most of the forests are Guzara and small portions including road/railway side are reserved. Forest is a considerable source of income in the neighboring communities of the district. There are five ranges in district Haripur reflected in the following table, with approximate area, species and ownership status.
Forest Ranges, Approximate Area, Ownership and Species
Forest Range
Reserved (Area in acre)
Guzara (Area in Acre)
Species / comments
1. Turbela
-
35,884
Major species are olive, sanatha, phulai, Kamela, bakkarar, sheesham and chir pine
2. Haripur
663
41,921
Including road side/railway track block. Reserved forests are mostly scrubs.
Major species are olive, sanatha, phulai, Kamela, bakkarar, sheshum and chir pine
3. Makherial
3,011
13,264
Major species are olive, sanatha, phulai, Kamela, bakkarar, sheshum and chir
4. Sataura
9,207
31,387
Major species are olive, sanatha, phulai, Kamela, bakkarar, sheshum, chir pine and coil, while there is a small population of deodar in plots
5. Khanpur
17,957
20,872
Elevation goes up to 2000-3000ft.
Major species are olive, sanatha, phulai, Kamela, bakkarar, sheshum and chir pine
Forest of Chir Pine at Muslim Abad Besides, there are more wild plants and shrubs on vast range lands, waste lands and even on the margins of agricultural fields. Main plants growing throughout the district, on plains, range lands and down hills are Eucalyptus, Ailanthus, Pastawanay, Figs, Paper Mulberry, Bakain, Anardana and Acacia/Rubinia, while Popular and mulberry are common on margins of agriculture fields and on the banks of canals. A big amount of land is communal / private range land covered with shrubs and bushes. It is mostly used for grazing or collecting grass and fuel wood. These lands provide a great opportunity of structural measures for rain water harvesting, because these have various small and big water sheds with potential macro and micro catchments. Fire is a permanent threat to forests in the district. It is mostly due to encroachment of the neighboring land owners who cut trees, set the area on fire to remove the remains and convert it into agriculture land. Almost all tribes have a right of use. Little new plantation / afforestation is observed in the district, while there is an increasing trend of agro forestry. As there is an industrial state in the district, forests are more necessary to clean the environment from different gases emitted by factories but continuous deforestation further distort the situation. (Sources: Forest Division Haripur, Crops Reporting Services and Primary data from filed)
Livestock
Livestock grazing on range lands In district Haripur 88% population live in rural areas and most of them keep livestock for milk, meat, manure, carriage and sale for cash earning. Most people consume the dairy products at household level, while some HHs sell these products and animal to earn cash for their other livelihoods needs. In urban areas only 10% HHs keep livestock and the remaining procure dairy products from market. About 20% HHs have 1-2 buffalo, 40% HHs have 3-4 cattle, 0.5% HHs have herds of cattle (10-15), 39.5% HHs have3-6 goats, while some HHs within this estimated population also keep different type of animals at the same time. People mostly in rural areas keep poultry at homes, while there are poultry farms in some areas i.e. Muslim Abad etc. Besides, some people keep donkeys, mules, horses and camels for carriage or goods transportation. Though, Local breed is preferred for its resilience to seasonal variation, still, some wealthy HHs keep cattle of exotic breed. Mostly livestock is kept in sheds along with houses, while free grazing on range lands is the common practice. Mostly women are involved in livestock management. Big land lords manage their livestock through their tenants, while tenants comparatively keep more livestock for their livelihoods. Nomads, having herds of cattle, goats and sheep come to the district and stay here for six months (winter and spring) moving from southern plains to northern hills. Some nomads lease lands for a Rabi season cultivation, while some of them don’t cultivate any land on tenancy but stay for on crop free agriculture lands and provide manure to the lands. Usually maize stalks, wheat straw, clover and grasses are used as fodder while people also feed their milking animals with nutritional supplements. In areas where there are rang lands nearby, people mostly graze their animals over there. Due to contaminated / stagnant water in ponds, livestock suffer from different types of diseases, mostly in summer. (Sources: Primary data from filed) There are 2 veterinary hospitals, 26 dispensaries and 10 veterinary centers in the District. They provide health care to 50% animals of different species for different diseases. Vaccination is done by the departmental staff as well as Live Stock Extension workers in different villages, trained by the Department through financial assistance from various development agencies. Livestock and Dairy Development Department provide their services in nearby areas only and in peripheral areas farmers know little about them and people mostly get their animals treated by private practitioners. Generally, there is an increase in the population due to increasing human population and its needs. According to the livestock census 1996 and 2006, population of the livestock was reported as following;