Margallah Hills National Park (MHNP) was established in 1980 for protection, conservation and
management of its biodiversity. It spans over 15,883 ha, comprising Margallah hills, Rawal
Lake and Shakarparian area. Ecologically MHNP is blend of three Eco zones; subtropical pine
forest, tropical deciduous forest, and tropical thorn forest. In addition to the fauna of these three
Eco zones, it also host urban biodiversity of Islamabad city. It is also transitional zone between
faunal communities of the mountains and the plain areas. The park provides refuge to many
indigenous species locally migrating from northern parts of the country during winter season
when these areas are packed with snow.
Despite its smaller size, the park’s geomorphology provides rich habitat diversity. Thick
vegetation cover, steep slopes and gorges offer escape terrain to elusive and shy species. The
Rawal Lake provides a good waterfowl habitat and serves as refuge for many fish species.
The dominant tree species in MHNP are chir pine Pinus roxburgii, white oak Quercus incana,
Kanger Pistacia intergerrima, black plum Syzygium cuminii, wild pear Pyrus pashia, Kachnar
Bauchina shorea, wild fig Ficus sp, and amaltas Casia fistula.
Mammalian species are barking deer, goral, rhesus monkey, jackal, red fox, yellow-throated
marten, palm civet, and gray wolf. Common leopard is also vagrant to the area. Bird diversity
of the park is particularly remarkable, around one-third of the countries’ species are expected in
MHNP. Some of the bird species are the short-toed eagle, sparrow hawk, booted eagle, kestrel,
hobby, and the kalij pheasant.
Contrary to the legal status, MHNP is facing many threats from illegal activities. Human
settlements, mining and stone crushing, forest fires, tree harvesting, hunting, grazing,
commercial activities and roads, and pollution are the factors deteriorating ecosystem health and
landscape beauty of the area.
Recognizing the current context and issues of local and global significance in the management of
biodiversity, the plan has been prepared to assist management in achieving the following visions
and goals:
MHNP as Model Protected Area: Developing the MHNP into a model protected area
that can demonstrate the application of principles of sustainable natural resource
management and healthy recreational activities to the policy makers and the public in the
country.
Management of Ecological Balance and Sustainable Use of Resources: Transforming
the behavior and attitudes and management systems towards achieving harmony and
compatibility between commercial activities, livelihood of local communities and
wildlife.
Institutional and Financial Sustainability: Developing frameworks for institutional and
financial management for sustainable development of the park.
Capacity Building: Developing capacities in the CDA and across the country in the
assessment of sensitive areas and development of management strategies and plans for
protected areas.
Dissemination: Sharing the results with the public representatives, government, and the
civil society to support the development of effective policies and national strategies and
laws for the management of ecosystems.
