National Institute of Management, Lahore

SENIOR MANAGEMENT WING

26TH SENIOR MANAGEMENT COURSE

Case Study Research-I

Environment Management
&
Protecting Pakistan's Biodiversity
(The Case of Management of Deosai National Park)

PARTICIPANTS GUIDE

S p o n s o r DS: Dr Saad S. Khan

Co-Sponsor DS: Shahzad Ahmad Malik

Friday, September 27, 2019

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DISCLAIMER

This Case Study has been prepared by Dr. Saad S. Khan, DS SMW, exclusively for
syndicate discussion in the Senior Management Wing of National Institute of Management,
National School of Public Policy. It does not necessarily reflect the views of either the
author or the institution on the issues highlighted and presented in this document.

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 CASE STUDY RESEARCH-I

Environment Management & Protecting Pakistan's

Biodiversity
(The Case of Management of Deosai National Park)

Background:

Pakistan is a gifted country that abounds in natural treasures and breathtaking

landscapes. Among these geographical treasures are the Deosai Plains- spread over an
area of approximately 3,000 square kilometers. located at the boundary of the
Karakoram and West Tibetan Alpine Steppe. At an average height of 4,114 meters
above sea level. Deosai Plateau is the second highest Plateau of the world.

In Urdu, Deosai means ‘land of the giants '. In Balti language, it means 'chair of a giant'.
Locally, it is also known as Ghbiarsa because it is accessible only in summer. Research
by French ethnologist Michel Peissel makes a claim that the story of “Gold Digging“,
reported by Greek historian Herodotus, who lived in the 5th century BC, is founded on
the golden Himalayan Marmot of the Deosai Plateau where it was the habit of local
tribes to collect gold dust excavated from their burrows.

The plains are a big tourist attraction and thousands of foreign and local tourists visit
there each year. The entire plain blossoms with countless colorful natural flowers that
equates the area with an earthly heaven. The spring and summer seasons. are the best
time to visit the plains when a wide variety of multi-color butterflies swarm the area.
The rolling grasslands, however, do not support the growth of trees or shrubs as the
area is covered with snow for almost seven months of the year.

In northern Pakistan, the awesome Deosai plains fall within the Gilgit-Baltistan region,
situated between Sakardu, Gultari. Kharmang, and Astore Valleys. However, the best
and the most convenient way to visit Deosai is through Skardu city which is linked by
air and by road with the rest of Pakistan. Deosai plains start just 30 km from Skardu
which, given the conditions of the roads, takes about one hour by jeep. Those seeking
more adventure can trek out to Deosai from Skardu - although a fairly laborious trek.
For still more fun, there is an adventure bike tour offered by local tour operators which

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takes the riders across beautiful mountains ranges of Himalaya and Karakoram.
Another route is from Astore Valley via Chilim, so Deosai is accessible from Shila
valley.

Deosai Plains: Magnet for Tourists.

Deosai is well known for rich flora and fauna of the Karakoram - West Tibetan
Plateau alpine steppe eco region. In the Spring, it is covered by sweeps of wild
flowers and a wide variety of butterflies. While most foreign tourists prefe r to
fly from Islamabad to Skardu and hire a jeep to visit Deosai , most Pakistani
tourists take their own vehicles from down country t o Deosai. Travelling on
Karakoram Highway, the commuters enjoy most spectacular scenery including
the magical view of Nanga Parbat—the 9 th highest peak in the world—that can
be witnessed from different angles. One of the main attractions of the Park is
the Sheosar Lake - meaning 'blind lake'. The lake at an elevation of 4,142 meters
above sea level is one of the highest in the world. Its length is 2.3 kilometers,
width 1.8 kilometers and at average depth of 40 feet. The place offers beautiful
views of the south side of Nanga Parbat and a panoramic view of the Deosai
Plains.

At Bara Pani, the core zone of the Deosai National Park is utilized for bear
watching while tourists also enjoy fishing in cold waters of the Barwai stream.
For the adventure lovers, Deosai offers a life time memory of crystal clear water
streams and flower bedecked alpine pastures besides warm and hospitabl e
people.

Returning from Deosai, the tourists take either of the two routes, that is, to drive
back via Skardu and Gilgit and have a chance to enjoy thrilling drive along River
Indus, or, drive South towards Chillum and then back to the KKH alongside
Astore River, in order to move back towards down country.

In the Summer of 2015, an unexpected early snow fall led to closure of routes.
Resultantly, around four thousand tourists and a few hundred sedentary
shepherds, got stuck in Deosai plains. On the instructions of the Federal
Government, the Pak Army launched massive rescue missions and was
successful in air lifting and bringing back all the stranded people/ families, in
around two days, to safer locations.
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Deosai Plains declared as Deosai National P a r k to protect Bio Diversity

The Deosai National Park (DNP) was established in 1993 to protect the survival
of the near extinct Himalayan Brown Bear and its habitat, something that attracts
wild life lovers to Deosai. In order to preserve the fast deteriorating species of
beautiful brown fur-coated bears, the DNP Plan was meant to provide for better
management of this rare species of animals and to protect them (i.e. Brown
Bears) from the hunters and poachers. The same year, Himalayan Wildlife
Foundation (HWF) was founded with a substantial financial assistance from
international environmental concerns.

Hunting has long been a prize kill for the hunters and poachers. During the last
two decades, quite a few effective measures have been taken by the Government
of Pakistan for the survival of Brown Bears in the region. Thanks to these efforts,
the bear, though still under threat, now has a h ope and a chance for survival
in Deosai where its number has increased from 19 in 1993 to 62 in 2018.

But Brown Bear is just one part of the story. The Deosai National Park is also home
to many other rare animal species including rare Snow Leopard, Golden Marmot, Red
Fox, the Himalayan Ibex, Grey Wolf and the Laddakh Urial. In addition, the plains are
a repository and habitat for over 124 resident and migratory birds including the
Sparrow Hawk. Griffon Vulture, Golden Eagle, Laggar Falcon, lammergeyer,
Peregrine Falcon, Kestrel and Snow Cock etc.

DNP Conservation Efforts in the past over two and a half decades

When this unique high attitude plateau was finally declared a national park , the
boundary of the DNP was demarcated and the area received officially protected status.
From 1993 to 2004, the Himalayan Welfare Foundation (HWF) provided support to the
Forest Department in research as well as planning & development activities for the Park.
Information about the Bear's population status, feeding habits, behavior, habitat use etc.
was collected through scientific methods. Based upon this information and data, the
Park was divided into separate zones for bears and for grazing. The Forest Department
staff was also provided necessary training. Moreover, an awareness raising program for
local communities was initiated. Financial and technical support was provided by a
number of national and international donors and agencies. Along with multifold rise in
bear population, the fish population in the rivers also increased significantly. In 2004,
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the Forest Department took over from the HWF, all management functions of the Park.
In 2005. the Northern Areas Forest Department (now Department of Forest, Wildlife
and Environment, Gilgit-Baltistan.) assumed full control of the Park management.

In 2012, independent study showed that population of the Brown bears was stagnating
at around 60. The reasons cited were

✓ Habitat degradation and fragmentation caused by increasing number of visitors.

encroachment into wildlife habitat by Gujjars as well as violations of National
Park Regulations by construction contractors.
✓ The Department was facing resource and financial constraints in managing DNP
✓ Inadequate equipment and facilities for park management, wildlife surveys and
communications.

Keeping in view the results of this assessment, the HWF initiated a new project titled
'Towards Sustainable Management of Deosai National Park' in April 2014 aimed at
conserving the Brown Bear in Deosai National Park. The project is funded by USAID's
Small Grants and US Ambassador’s Grant Program and was completed in August
2016. It is heartening to learn that attempts have been made that will be
beneficial for the stakeholders. Not only ecological resources, particularly the
Brown bears population is likely to be conserved, but the Government,
especially the Wildlife Department) will also benefit from the improved internal
revenue generation, while the traditional grazing rights of the Gujjar community
will be protected.

In early August 2015, the Gilgit-Baltistan government announced holding a

three-day cultural festival from 28-30 August 2015 at Deosai Plains to boost
tourism and promote soft image of Pakistan. The military authorities in GB
assured full logistic support. The organizers claimed that the festival was being
organized for the first time to attract tourists to the world's second highest
plateau—Deosai Plains—to boost the tourism potential encompassing multi -
cultural and multi ethnic aspects in the area. The festival would, it w a s claimed,
serve the visitors to explore all kinds of attractions both for the domestic and
foreign tourists at the Plains, including water sports, musical n i g h t s , cultural
performances, horse riding, jeep rally and many others. A Polo tournament was
supposed to be hallmark of the event. The senior government officials said that
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the overall aim of the festival was to promote eco -tourism and culture tourism
coupled with mountain trekking expeditions, both at national and international
level.

There was a vociferous hue and cry from NGOs and eco-friendly think tanks and
lobbies all over the world, arguing that such festivals in Deosai will negate all
efforts aimed at preserving its pristine and fragile eco systems. Such commercial
activities also militate against global goals for environment protection, to which
Pakistan is a State-party. The environmental lobbying groups in the country
called for restricting such activities that cause pollution or commercialization or
both in Deosai plains or any natural and pristine attraction across Pakistan .

HWF Senior Director Programs warned of a loss to the vegetation during the event.
"The action of crushing or treading upon vegetation. whether by foot, hoof or
tyre, contributes to a wide range of vegetation impacts, including damage to plant
leaves, stems, and roots. Plus, reduction in vegetation height changes the
composition of species and causes loss of vegetative cover on the Plains”. It may
be added that once trampling occurs, vegetative recovery is a very slow process.
Unregulated influx of tourists could have been a major challenge of the festival.
Clearly, such large numbers of people and vehicles bring environmental
degradation to any region.

In the instant case, even the local people were convinced of the undesirability of
the organized event and raised their voice against the festival. It was a big victory
of civil society voice and collective action that the GB government was forced
to cancel the festival only six days before it was supposed to take place.

Deosai Management Plan 2014

Forest and Wildlife Department, Govt of Gilgit-Baltistan, and the Himalayan Wildlife
Foundation (HWF) have jointly come up with a comprehensive management plan for
the Park to protect its ecological heritage for the benefit of the nature and for the
wellbeing of its surrounding communities. In fact, it is an update of the Plan written
by HWF in 2005. The purpose of the plan is to maintain and regulate ecological and
biological resources of the Park. The Plan aims at minimizing negative impacts of the
existing as well as emerging conflicts between conservation needs of the Park (DNP)
and the livelihood needs of the local people, during the five years (2014-19).
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The management plan delineated following objectives:

a) Protection of Brown Bears and other wildlife species.

b) Protection of medicinal and aromatic flora of the Deosai National Park.
c) Maintenance of the ecological characteristics of the Park with focus on the
wetlands and Juniper forest ecosystems
d) Protection of Park habitats against fragmentation, encroachments, and diversion
of its aquatic resources.
e) Promotion of awareness as a source of education for the people of Pakistan and
for the socio-economic development of the custodian communities.
f) Promotion of sustainable developments opportunities i.e. sustainable tourism for
the people living in the buffer zone valleys of the Desoai National Park (DNP).
g) Connecting Deosai Plateau with other natural habitats in the immediate and
further vicinities
h) Promotion of research as a basis of management decisions for the DNP.

The above Plan, prepared within the framework of Northern Areas Wildlife and
Preservation Act (1975) does not allow any such activities inside the Park which are
detrimental to the existence of the rare species in the DNP area. For instance, having
permanent residence in the Park has been banned and even temporary entry into DNP
is envisaged to be limited by imposition of an entry fee. To protect those animals which
have a natural habitat in Deosai, hunting killing or even capturing any wild animal will
not be allowed, nor will it be to carry a firearm, explosive or any other hunting weapon.
Even any pet or domestic animal shall not be allowed to be brought into DNP area.
Neither shall be any exotic animal or plant be allowed to be introduced.

Further to protect the plant species. management plan proposes a ban on any
attempt to lit fire, cut, destroy or damage any tree or other vegetation or to
cultivate or encroach land within the Park. To pick any flower or to remove any
plant, stone or other natural object from the Park is among the Don’ts envisaged
in the Plan. Any attempt to pollute or contaminate any eat er resource in or
flowing into the Park or discarding any litter, paper or waste etc. will also not
be allowed. However, implementation of the plan was not as forthcoming as was
desirable. And many of the prohibitions continued due to weak enforcement capacity
of the Government and the lack of genuine political will to protect environment.

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The management plan, however, allows for non-consumptive resource use
practices in the specified zones to promote local economy; controlled grazing in
the declared grazing zones to support livelihood; and cultivation of the medicinal
plants to generative income for the Park communities. The plan also aims at
initiating trophy hunting and sports angling -catch and release fishing- wherever
feasible in order to reward community for their contribution in the conservation
of the Park resources.

The DNP Management Plan defines buffer zones around the protected park area .
It allows certain activities such as raising firewood plantations of native species
on wastelands, integrated agricultural development in buffer zone , income
generation through fruit processing, and fodder cultivation on barren lands etc.
in order to promote stall feeding and livestock breed improvement . This may
help to reduce pressure on pastures in the Buffer Zones while protecting the
preserved areas by banning or limiting above mentioned activities .

The legislation that excludes people from the DNP park area increases conflicts
between the management and the local people. However, a pragmatic approach
was adopted to involve people in the conservation of Deosai plains. Community
participation, achieved by recognizing rights and introducing incentives , reduced
resistance against the conservation efforts helped reduce poachi ng. The success
of the conservation program totally depends on successful cooperation between
the NGO (HWF), the local people and the park management which is under the
control of GB Wildlife Department.

Submission Deadline:

Five sub-groups will be constituted for preparing reports on the five given
questions. These sub-groups will submit their reports to the respective Syndicate
Chairperson for the CSR. The Chairperson and Secretary shall be jointly
responsible for consolidating, compiling, editing and preparation of the final
report.

The Chairperson shall submit the said final report (5-7 pages) as well as five separate
sub Reports prepared by the respective sub-groups (max. 2-3 pages each) to the

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Syndicate DS electronically by 2359 hours on Monday, 30 Sept 2019, positively.
No submission of hard copies is required.

Suggested Readings

• Salman Rashid . Deosai: Land of Giant. Lahore: Sang-e-Meel Publications,

2013

• Report on Deosai . World Wide fund for Nature (WWF), 2014

• Deosai National Park Management Plan. Government of Gilgit Baltistan,

2012