About Department
A public department safeguarding the forests, wildlife, biodiversity and environment of Gilgit-Baltistan.
The Department
The Gilgit-Baltistan Forest, Wildlife & Environment Department (GBFWE) was created as an independent department in 2010 after promulgation of the Gilgit-Baltistan Governance Order 2009, in accordance with the Rules of Business 2009. It has two attached departments: Forest, Parks & Wildlife and the Environmental Protection Agency.
The department is headed by the Secretary Forest, Wildlife & Environment Gilgit-Baltistan. The attached departments are headed by the Chief Conservator of Forests, Parks & Wildlife GB and the Director Environmental Protection Agency GB respectively.
The Forest Department in Gilgit-Baltistan was created in 1953 with the post of Conservator of Forests and two Forest Divisions in Gilgit and Diamer. Baltistan Forest Division was created in 1957. With the passage of time the department has flourished and expanded greatly. At present it is headed by the Chief Conservator of Forest, Parks & Wildlife, with three territorial Forest Circles, one Wildlife & Parks Circle, a Working Plan Circle and a Satellite Forest Circle.
During the Dogra regime, in 1936, the very first forest ranger was placed at Gilgit to take care of forest and allied resources. Raja Mehboob Wali Khan was the first local officer, posted as Range Forest Officer to Gilgit Agency in 1940. After the region’s independence from the Dogras, the Government of Pakistan, through the Resident Commissioner GB, administered, regulated and managed these resources until a full-fledged department headed by a Conservator of Forests was created in 1953.
The department is the custodian of all forests, wildlife, biodiversity, rangelands, watersheds, glaciers, wastelands, climate change, environment and allied resources. It is responsible for the day-to-day care and protection of forest resources, environmental protection and the conservation of biodiversity and wildlife resources in Gilgit-Baltistan.
- 2010
- Department established as an independent department
- 2
- Attached departments: Forest, Parks & Wildlife and GBEPA
- 1953
- Forest Department established in Gilgit-Baltistan
Protecting and developing the natural heritage of Gilgit-Baltistan.
“Protecting, conserving, managing and developing the forestry, wildlife and allied resources of Gilgit-Baltistan through sustainable integrated natural resource management, with a vision to develop the region as a biodiversity pool and a hub for eco-tourism.”
A connected conservation mandate
Collaborative management
Work with communities to manage protected forests, protected areas and biodiversity hotspots, and support community-based management of private forests.
Evidence and planning
Use management plans, valley conservation plans, monitoring and sectoral consultation to guide natural resource decisions.
Community partnership
Strengthen local participation, sustainable livelihoods, skills and eco-tourism while conserving natural resources.
Current priorities in full
Currently the department is focusing on collaborative management of Protected Forests, Protected Areas and other biodiversity hotspots, community-based management of Private Forests, creation of more protected areas with a vision to declare 70% of GB as protected areas, development of farm forestry through sustainable production of nursery stocks, consultative planning mechanisms including sectoral and thematic roundtables/interest groups through management plans and valley conservation plans, alternative energy sources and Payment for Ecosystem Services, alternative sustainable livelihoods, institutional strengthening and skill development, increasing investment in forestry resources (FWF/ADP/PSDP/donor-funded schemes), creating an enabling environment through forest & wildlife policy and improvement in legislation, awareness and education, generating databases, monitoring and evaluation, integrated management of biodiversity at landscape level, improving efficiency in the use of wood, restoration of degraded forests through the 10BTTP Program, sustainable forest harvesting through a workable Working Plan, promotion of non-exploitative uses (eco-tourism as an alternative sustainable livelihood), promotion of sustainable use of NTFP and medicinal plants, ensuring sustainable use for subsistence requirements as long as they are within production capacities, considering environmental values such as biodiversity, watershed, eco-tourism values, desertification, climate change, soil conservation, landslides, microclimate, landscape and shade before decisions on harvesting, effective and meaningful community engagement and participation, development of the national parks as eco-tourism hubs, devising a benefit-sharing mechanism for all PES-related activities, and promotion of eco-tourism at landscape level.
The work is shared across two agencies
Forest, Parks & Wildlife
Forest ecosystems, wildlife and protected areas
Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental monitoring and sustainable development