A crucial step toward CKNP implementation
On October 30th, 2007, a Research Oriented workshop was hosted by the Karakurum International University in Gilgit. The event, organized by Ev-K2-CNR within the HKKH Partnership Project, gathered experts and researchers from Pakistan, Italy and Nepal, and provided the basis for a collective implementation of a number of research activities to be conducted in the Central Karakoram National Park (CKNP). Also several students from the International Karakurum University participated actively to all the sessions.
The workshop main objectives were:
- Informing about what has been done so far in CKNP and what is next;
- reaching a shared understanding of the HKKH Partnership Project approach and activities;
- sharing the opportunities that the HKKH Partnership Project offers to support the management oriented researches;
- establishing the link between research and Park management;
- establishing links between local and international researchers and institutions;
- creating network and encouraging exchange;
- identifying implementation strategies for the researches identified;
- identifying strategies for establishment of a permanent monitoring network;
- suggesting capacity building activities and training proposals targeted towards local stakeholders.
The event, coordinated by Ev-K2-CNR Field Officer Dr. Marcello Basani, was successful in reaching all its objectives, creating new promising partnerships with local and international stakeholders. Also a number of researchers from Italy, coordinated by Dr. Franco Salerno, participated actively, presenting research proposals and interacting with local organizations.
The workshop, a milestone in the history of CKNP and a tremendous opportunity for networking and working together in partnership, managed to set the basis for scoping and defining the research programs required to improve the understanding of the dynamics of the socio-ecosystem in the CKNP, thus providing an effective basis for their management. At the same time, it created the conditions to reach a common understanding and an implementation strategy on the researches to be conducted in CKNP in supporting the PC-1 implementation process, in coordination with Ev-K2-CNR’s Kararorum Trust (the other major Ev-K2-CNR’s project implemented in the area), the Northern Areas Administration, and WWF – Pakistan, Northern Areas.
The workshop also managed to make another important step in the fruitful relationship with the Karakurum International University and its Vice Chancellor Dr. Aziz Ali Najam, with whom the team of Karakorum Trust has been working for the past two years.
The HKKH Partnership Project’s team will keep on working in the Northern Areas until mid-November. Among the other events organized, it is worth mentioning:
- the “Launching Workshop” coordinated by IUCN, that focused on:
a. Launching the HKKH Partnership activities in the framework of the PC-1.
b. Sharing the findings of scenario planning workshop held on March 2007 in Gilgit
c. Introducing the workshops organized by the project during the following days
d. Facilitate consensus among the participants regarding the management planning process and the main management issues to be addressed
- The “LCCS Workshops”, coordinated by ICIMOD, organized to introduce the participants to the LCCS concepts and methodology for developing standardized land cover legends using LCCS software, and to develop a preliminary legend to be used for the development of the land cover map of the CKNP.
Ev-K2-CNR congratulates with its team and with all the HKKH Partners for these important achievements, another crucial step towards the formation of a sound Central Karakorum National Park!
Marcello Basani