The Fall of the Water

13

Land Use and Land Cover Change in Kirtipur Municipality

Land Use and Land Cover 1992

Land Use and Land Cover 1998

Legend:

Legend:

High Density Residential Medium Density Residential Low Density Residential Flat Cultivated Land Medium Slope Cultivated Land Steep Cultivated Land Forest Horticulture Research Centre

High Density Residential Medium Density Residential Low Density Residential Flat Cultivated Land Medium Slope Cultivated Land Steep Cultivated Land Forest Horticulture Research Centre

Plantation Institution Industry Mining Area Recreational Park Stadium Water Body Others

Plantation Institution Industry Stadium Water Body Others

Figure 6: Land use and settlement changes in Kirtipur, Nepal. Notice settlement in terms of medium to low density populated areas (pink and dark pink areas) increased between 1992 and 1998. Such rapid growth put great pressures on sanitation and water resources (Shrestha, 2003).

Similar patterns of intensifying land use can also be found in more rural areas all across the Greater Asian Mountain region. Galiat is a part of Abbottabad Tahsil of Abbottabad District, Northwestern Pakistan. The area is located in the lesser Himalayan ranges between 33° 55’ and 34° 20’ North latitude and 73° 20’ and 73° 30’ East longitude and is home to 3,250,000 people. The main ridge of Galiat is running from North-West to South-East with big spurs in North-South directions. The main valleys also run in the direction of the spurs. The topography is rugged with steep slopes and narrow valleys with elevations ranging from 1000-3000 m. A mosaic land use pattern exists through out Galiat. The local population in the Galiat area is dependent on natu- ral resources. The rapid population growth during the last 3-4 decades has resulted in a fragmentation of land holdings, clearance of vegetation and breaking of new land and terracing for agriculture, increased competi- tion for scarce resources, steep slope cultivation, deg- radation of land due to overuse and soil erosion. The degradation of the environment is essentially caused Rural upland areas in temperate hills

by heavy pressure on the vegetative cover by an ever-in- creasing density of both livestock and humans.

The area drains into the Jhelum, Kunhar, Haro and Daur rivers. The forests are generally located above 2000 meters. Valley bottom and moderate side slopes are inhabited having scattered and conglomerate pat- terns of houses. Land slips and land slides are found on steep bare slopes. Rock falls, scree deposit and mud flows are also common on precipitous slopes. Unplanned developmental activities such as construc- tion of buildings and roads (widening of Abotabad to Murree Road and construction of Kuza Gali to Mal- kot and several rural access roads) have resulted in considerable environmental degradation. Evidence of forest degradation (except Ayubia National Park area), deforestation, poor logging practices, sparse pastures, uncontrolled grazing, erosion, geological instability and poverty is visible. The deforestation is particularly evident along the road corridors (Fig. 7).