UNESCO/Toson-Khulstai Biosphere Reserve
Lal Suhanra
General information
Lal Suhanra Biosphere Reserve and National Park is situated in the north-west edge of the Cholistan Desert in the Punjab Province of Pakistan. This arid landscape is relatively flat and interspersed with sand dunes up to 1,000 hectares in extent and 4 meters in height, some of which are unstable.
Detailed information
Key data
Year of nomination
1977
Country
Pakistan
Area
Surface
65,817.00 ha
Total terresterial area
65,817.00 ha
Location
Latitiude: 29.33 - Longitude: 71.98
Contact
Ecosystem-based network
SACAM
Ecological Characteristics
Lal Suhanra Biosphere Reserve and National Park is situated in the north-west edge of the Cholistan Desert in the Punjab Province of Pakistan. This arid landscape is relatively flat and interspersed with sand dunes up to 1,000 hectares in extent and 4 meters in height, some of which are unstable. The biosphere reserve is crossed by the dried-up bed of the Hakra River and comprises Patisar Lake and irrigated land. The lake (1,935 hectares) was originally built as a water reservoir and used to be an important wetland as a wintering site of many waterfowls. However, today the pond supports extensive reed beds, submerged and floating aquatic vegetation, thus it has lost its habitat function for most birds.Sub-tropical thorn forest withCalligonum polygonoides, Calotropis procera, Capparis decidua, Prosopis cineraria Tamarix aphyllaetc.; lesser Cholistan desert characterized byCrotalaria burhia, Zizyphus mauritania, Haloxylon recurvum, Aerva javanicaetc.; irrigated plantations withAcacia nilotica, Dalbergia sisso,Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Prosopis cineraria, Tamarix aphylla, Capparis decidua, Salvadora oleoides; freshwater wetlands including species such asEichornia crassipes, Hydrilla verticillata, Nelumbo nucifera, Nymphaea lotus, Phragmites karka and Typha domingensis.
Socio-Economics Characteristics
There are archaeological remains of an ancient civilization which once flourished along the Hakra River. The about 6,000 people in the biosphere reserve mostly follow their traditional nomadic lifestyle (1997) but also benefit from tourism. The area attracts about 1 million national and 50,000 foreign tourists each year (1997). Television, radio and cinemas as well as field trips and lectures are used to increase environmental awareness in the area.
