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Pak. J. Bot., 44: 127-136, Special Issue May 2012.

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RANGELAND DEGRADATION AND MANAGEMENT APPROACHES IN BALOCHISTAN, PAKISTAN

SARFRAZ AHMAD^1*, MUHAMAD ISLAM ² AND SARWAT N. MIRZA³

Abstract: Rangeland ecosystems have vital role in Balochistan due to many direct services to the society like food, forage, medicines, fuel, building materials, industrial products, and indirect services of maintaining the composition of the environment, mitigating climate and moderating weather, fertilizing and stabilizing soils, disposing of wastes, cycling nutrients, storing and purifying water.  Rangelands degradation in Balochistan is a major issue and affecting not only the direct users of pastoral communities but many others benefiting from the environmental services. Some of the indicators of rangelands degradation include reduction in vegetation cover, above ground plant productivity, soil erosion, elimination of soil seed bank, and shift in species composition. Rangeland degradation is site specific due to spatial, temporal variation of vegetation and utilization practices. Studies on recovery of natural vegetation, re-generation of native species, seasonal biomass variations, evaluation of fodder shrubs and community based efforts are being carried out by the Arid Zone Research Centre (AZRC), Quetta in various districts of Balochistan. Above ground dry biomass production varies from 40 to 200 kg/ha in open areas as compared to 200 to 865 kg/ha in protected areas. Heavily grazed grasslands have good recovery potential under favourable climatic conditions. Re-generation potential of native range species is limited due to weak persistent soil seed bank and insufficient rainfall distribution during germination and establishment of seedlings. Biomass availability gradually declines and winter months are critical for grazing. Fodder shrubs like Atriplex canescens and Salsola vermiculata have potential for establishment of forage reserve blocks with micro-catchment water harvesting techniques. Communities degraded rangelands can be rehabilitated either by grazing management or plantation of drought tolerant fodder shrubs on appropriate sites. A viable and sound rangeland policy and implementation strategies are mandatory for conservation and utilization of the rangeland resources on sustainable basis.

¹Principal Scientific Officer, Rangeland Research Institute, NARC, Islamabad, Pakistan

²Director Environment, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Islamabad, Pakistan

³Dean Faculty of Forestry, Range Management & Wildlife, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

^*Corresponding author e-mail: s_ahmadazrc@yahoo.com