La
Licorne
MURREE
COUNTRY
On
Sunday we left for Murree, a holiday resort in the cool hills above Islamabad,
where we linked up with Jens and Rafique. While the others enjoyed the comfort,
Jens didn't like it at all in the posh Bhurban Hotel. He preferred the
simplicity of a camp in the nature. From the hotel as our base, we did our job
in the surrounding area of which Kahuta was off-limits, because of Pakistan's
nuclear program.
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Deodar
foliage
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It
is a region full of ridges and ravines, covered with forests or denuded slopes,
depending on the ownership. The ‘reserved’ state forests were in a fair
condition. One would expect the same from the ‘protected’ municipal- and
village forests, but -unfortunately- those are subject to ruthless cutting,
grazing, forest fires, and clearance for cultivation. Due to degradation the
forests are unable to play their soil protective role effectively. Consequently
over land runoff, landslips and slides, sheet and gully erosion on the forest
floors are common features.
As
for the farmland the holdings are small and fragmented. The cultivated terraces
are unleveled and sloping downwards. They are susceptible to overturning, gully
and sheet erosion. Farmhouses are scattered on the slopes and terraces. They
are in conglomerate type of settlement without proper lanes, trees, and
drainage system. The haphazard excavation for house construction and iron
sheets on roofs are potential source of additional and prompt rainwater runoff
that causes accelerated soil erosion.
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