Hiking with Students and Educational Environment Session

What a fantastic day it was with the amazing kids and teachers from Safa Mera Primary School at Trail 5 parking, welcomed by the dedicated volunteers of Friends of Margalla Hills National Park 🌿 They were treated to an enlightening awareness session on conserving natural spaces like Margalla Hills National Park:

1. Importance of keeping MHNP plastic-free.
2. Preserving the park’s natural beauty by avoiding littering.
3. Preventing forest fires and maintaining a smoke-free zone.
4. Being cautious of monkeys and refraining from feeding them.

The hike started easy and became challenging later with an uphill climb. The kids enjoyed the weather and environment, learning about local flora and fauna and the impact on the environment. They also learned about Lantana, an invasive shrub affecting the water table and not letting other native plant species grow.

As we climbed up the kids were becoming a bit tired but the volunteers of Islamabad Wildlife Management Board – IWMB did an amazing job of keeping them motivated.

The highlight was reaching a natural stream, where kids drank clean water, refilled their reusable bottles (specially purchased for this hike), and learned about the importance of keeping mountain streams clean.

Everyone rested a bit and instead of packaged juices the kids were offered a refreshing snack of fresh oranges to energize them. The kids collected peels and litter responsibly, even cleaning up the area that had been left behind by visitors.

The descent was easy, and snacks were served in plastic-free packaging, thanks to Three Cooks.

We concluded by inspiring the children to be role models and reminding them to be kind to animals. Saaf Mohalla Saaf Pakistan extends gratitude to all participants. 🌿