Margalla Hills—Urban Wilderness

Margalla Hills—Urban Wilderness focuses on the protection, conservation, and rehabilitation of ecosystems, species, genes, and habitats belonging to the Margalla Hills National Park which is located in Islamabad, Pakistan and includes Margalla Hills, which forms the foothills of the Himalayas, along with Shakarparian Park and Rawal Lake.

The park is rich in biodiversity, and supports not only the ecosystems, species, genes, and habitats belonging there, but also local communities that have lived in and around the park for generations. The project seeks to educate people in local communities in and around our national parks, helping to engage them in conservation and sustainable development programs to fi­nd lasting solutions.

Natural systems such as these that lie close to cities are always under threat due to increasing land value as cities grow. If these systems are lost due to mismanagement and deforestation, they will not meet human demand over the long term, resulting in catastrophic losses for the country, its local communities, and the climate.

Objectives

The objectives of Margalla Hills—Urban Wilderness are:

• To raise and spread awareness about the natural ecosystems, habitats, and biomes belonging to Margalla Hills National Park.
• To spark conversation and drive action for climate change and the sustainable protection, conservation, and rehabilitation of the natural systems of Margalla Hills National Park.
• To change local communities’ perceptions, behaviours, and interests regarding climate change and its effects on the natural systems of Margalla Hills National Park.
• To provide alternate sustainable livelihood options for local communities around the park to play an active role in the sustainable protection, conservation, and rehabilitation of the natural systems of Chitral Gol National Park.

For viewing this documentary in another local language, please click on the links below.

• Urdu
• Sindhi
• Punjabi
• Pushto

Cliff-walkers of Chitral Gol

Cliff-walkers of Chitral Gol focuses on the protection, conservation, and rehabilitation of ecosystems, species, genes, and habitats belonging to the Chitral Gol National Park which is located in Chitral, Pakistan.

The park is rich in biodiversity, and supports not only the ecosystems, species, genes, and habitats belonging there, but also local communities that live around it. After facing losses with the extinction of certain species and habitats, the park’s local communities now play an active role in its protection, conservation, and rehabilitation.

The Markhor is one of the largest and most magnifi­cent members of the Caprinae or the goat family, and it is the official National Animal of Pakistan. It is also the star of Cliff-walkers of Chitral Gol. Unfortunately, Markhors are under threat of extinction due to intense hunting pressure, deforestation, and loss of habitat.

Objectives

The objectives of Cliff-walkers of Chitral Gol are:

• To raise and spread awareness about the natural ecosystems, habitats, and biomes belonging to Chitral Gol National Park.
• To spark conversation and drive action for climate change and the sustainable protection, conservation, and rehabilitation of the natural systems of Chitral Gol National Park.
• To spotlight the Markhor, and other species nearly on the brink of extinction, as flagship species which can help conserve the park.
• To change local communities’ perceptions, behaviours, and interests regarding climate change, its effects on the natural systems of Chitral Gol National Park.
• To provide alternate sustainable livelihood options for local communities around the park to play an active role in the sustainable protection, conservation, and rehabilitation of the natural systems of Chitral Gol National Park.
• To bring focus on the Himalayan mountain region and the uniqueness of its environment as its home to Pakistan’s national animal, bird and tree.

For viewing this documentary in another local language, please click on the links below.

• Urdu
• Sindhi
• Punjabi
• Pushto

Dissemination Drive

TDF collaborated with Daewoo Express to screen the above-mentioned documentaries in their entire operational fleet. Their active operational fleet presently is 252 while standby buses are 42. On average, 500,000 passengers travel on Daewoo Express buses per month.

TDF also collaborated with the Sindh Education and Literacy Department to screen Nature Series documentaries in over 66 public schools in underprivileged areas of Karachi. The drive aimed at instilling an urgent sense of responsibility in students on taking care of the rich natural heritage of Pakistan. This inclusive approach in Karachi was well-received by the media. A team with a projector, sound system, and brand ambassadors visited these schools daily.

Float Activity

Karachi Screenings

Reinforcement of Ideas

TDF held activities at various educational institutes and festivals, followed by interactive Q&A sessions in which students expressed their views on the two documentaries.

Digital Presence

TDF shared these documentaries on Facebook and Vimeo, followed by contests and trivia related to Margalla Hills—Urban Wilderness and Cliff-walkers of Chitral Gol, which kept the followers successfully engaged.

These initiatives were well-received by media houses such as The News and by local magazines such as The Times of Karachi and House of Pakistan, who encouraged their subscribers to watch it.

Local tourism and other organisations such as Chitraltown, Hindukush Trails Tourism Pakistan, Adventours Pakistan, and Espa Chitrar Wathan also shared the documentaries on their social media pages.

Television Presence

Margalla Hills was aired on PTV World and Dawn News TV free of cost as educational content. Each channel gave free airtime of 50 minutes, including advertisements in between of 20 minutes.

TDF Team Screenings

TDF approached multiple educational institutions to screen the TDF Nature Series as a visual case study.

Army Public School and College System (APSCS)

• APSCS joined hands with TDF to screen TDF Nature Series to their secondary students at all five campuses in Karachi. The activity was extended to other APSCS campuses in Hyderabad and Petaro.
• APSCS appreciated this initiative after a positive response from Sindh and carried the activity in APSCS in Peshawar, Islamabad, Attock, Cherat, Mansar, Mardan, Nowshera, Thall, Bannu, and Kohat as well.
• APSCS is planning to screen these documentaries in their campuses across Pakistan.

Bahria School and College

• Bahria School and Colleges volunteered to screen TDF Nature Series at their Karachi campuses.

Fazaia School and College

• Fazaia School and Colleges conducted a screening session with discussions on the environment.

World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF Pakistan)

• WWF Pakistan made TDF Nature Series part of its school outreach program.

Children’s Literature Festivals

TDF has participated in all Children Literature Festivals (CLF) in Pakistan. TDF Nature Series is now one of the main attractions at all CLFs. So far, TDF has been part of CLF in Islamabad, Karachi, Bahawalpur, and Sukkur, Nature Series documentaries have been showcased to more than 10,000 students, teachers, and parents.

Other Collaborations

• Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) facilitated the TDF team in screening in five public schools in underprivileged areas of Karachi.
• Legal Aid Office in Karachi facilitated screening films in all four major prisons of the city. About 300 inmates (men, women, and children) have watched and appreciated Margalla Hills—Urban Wilderness and Cliff-walkers of Chitral Gol.
• All Pakistan Women’s Association (APWA) conducted screenings at all their schools in Karachi.
• Screenings were conducted in the Garage Schools (privately owned), Mariam Adamjee Girls schools, and other privately-owned low-income schools.
• The Citizens Archive of Pakistan (CAP) also screened the films in the schools affiliated with them.
• Engro Foundation supported us with online visibility and conducting screenings in their affiliated Engro schools.

Making a Difference

• Numerous schools have expressed their interest in environmental issues.
• Numerous schools throughout Pakistan have approached TDF to conduct sessions in their schools.