Forest, Parks, Wildlife, and Environment Department of Gilgit-Baltistan

What Forest, Parks, Wildlife, and Environment Department of Gilgit-Baltistan does

The Forest, Parks, Wildlife, and Environment Department of Gilgit-Baltistan (GBFWE) is a regional government department of Pakistan established in 2010 under the Gilgit-Baltistan Governance Order 2009. It holds statutory authority over wildlife, forest, and environmental management in the autonomous Gilgit-Baltistan region, operating through two attached wings: Forest, Parks & Wildlife, and the Environmental Protection Agency. The department manages 7 National Parks (including Central Karakoram National Park, Pakistan's largest protected area), 47 Community Managed Conservation Areas (CCHAs/CMCAs), and pursues an ambitious internal goal to designate 70% of Gilgit-Baltistan as protected area.

The department's core offerings span National Parks management services, the Trophy Hunting Programme (regulated hunting of Astore Markhor, Blue Sheep, and Himalayan Ibex in CMCAs), wildlife census and species protection (Snow Leopard, Brown Bear, Markhor, Ibex, Blue Sheep), forest plantation services under the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme (target of 1.085 million plants in 2022), and environmental regulation. Its technology stack includes a Patrolling App for National Parks, a Digital Web Ticketing System, and solar-powered surveillance systems at forest check posts — described as a first among Pakistani government conservation departments. It also runs livestock vaccination campaigns, anti-smuggling enforcement, and glacier lake outburst flood (GLOF-II) risk reduction with UNDP.

Revenue is not publicly disclosed. The department's principal income-generating mechanism is trophy hunting fees, of which 80% flows to local communities and only 20% is retained by the government. A record single Markhor hunt in December 2023 generated 177,000 USD (~54M PKR), of which the department retained roughly 10.8M PKR. Primary beneficiaries include local communities across the 47 CMCAs, international trophy hunters, and eco-tourists; operational funding is supplemented by donor partners including UNDP, EVK2-CNR, ICIMOD, and WHO.

Name

Forest, Parks, Wildlife, and Environment Department of Gilgit-Baltistan

Legal name

Forest, Wildlife & Environment Department Government of Gilgit-Baltistan

Website

https://fwegb.gov.pk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Forest, Parks, Wildlife, and Environment Department is a Gilgit-Baltistan regional government body managing 7 national parks, 47 community conservation areas, trophy hunting, wildlife protection, and afforestation programs serving local communities, international hunters, and eco-tourists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Sector Environmental & Wildlife Conservation

NAICS

Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Forestry (800), Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900)

akta.pro primary industry

Forestry & Public Lands Administration (State/National Forests) (BPAIAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH), Wildlife, Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation Administration (BPAIAMAG), Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

Keywords

• Forest conservation services
• Wildlife protection programs
• National parks management
• Trophy hunting program
• Environmental regulatory services

Headquarters

HQ city

Gilgit

HQ country

Pakistan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Forest, Parks, Wildlife, and Environment Department of Gilgit-Baltistan is a regional government department that manages forests, national parks, wildlife, and environmental protection across the Gilgit-Baltistan territory of Pakistan. It administers 7 National Parks, 47 Community Managed Conservation Areas (CCHAs/CMCAs), and the Trophy Hunting Programme, and provides services such as forest plantation, wildlife census, anti-poaching enforcement, and environmental regulation. The department is supported by two attached entities — Forest, Parks & Wildlife and the Environmental Protection Agency — and uses digital tools including a National Parks Patrolling App and a Digital Web Ticketing System.

Product overview

The Forest, Parks, Wildlife, and Environment Department of Gilgit-Baltistan operates as a government regulatory and conservation agency managing the region's natural resources. The department provides a portfolio of services including National Parks Management (Central Karakoram, Deosai, Khunjerab, Himalaya, Nanga Parbat, Quramber, and Hundrap National Parks), a Trophy Hunting Program for sustainable community-based conservation, Wildlife Census and Survey Services, Forest Plantation Services under the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami Programme, Wildlife Species Protection, and Environmental Protection Agency Services. The department also operates digital platforms including a Patrolling App for National Parks and a Digital Web Ticketing System for visitor management. The services are delivered through two attached departments: Forest, Parks & Wildlife, and Environmental Protection Agency.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• National Parks Management Services
• Trophy Hunting Program
• Wildlife Species Protection Services
• Forest Plantation Services
• Wildlife Census and Survey Services
• Environmental Protection Agency Services
• Patrolling App for National Parks
• Digital Web Ticketing System

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.085 million plants targeted for plantation in 2022 across Gilgit-Baltistan under the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ICIMOD (International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 November 2023ICIMOD collaborated with the department to hold the first-ever Rangeland Policy consultation workshop in Gilgit. The workshop brought together stakeholders from government, NGOs, media, and civil society to develop a draft rangeland policy for Gilgit-Baltistan. The Secretary Forest, Wildlife & Environment department and the Chairman Reforms and Initiatives Committee led discussions on the policy draft.
• UNDP PakistancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 August 2022The UNDP Country Head and delegation visited the GLOF-II (Glacier Lake Outburst Flood Risk Reduction) project site in Hunza on 24th August 2022. UNDP is a key financial and technical partner supporting the department's climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction initiatives in Gilgit-Baltistan.
• World Health Organization (WHO)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 July 2022WHO collaborated with the Forest Department on the development of a Forest Park in Skardu, including the installation of a new outdoor gym facility, demonstrating inter-agency cooperation for public health and environmental wellness.
• Livestock and Dairy Development DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 June 2022The department collaborated with the Livestock and Dairy Development Department for the mass livestock vaccination campaign under the 'Revival of Wildlife Resources in GB' initiative. This cross-departmental collaboration aims to reduce disease transmission from livestock to wildlife populations.
• Gilgit Serena HotelminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 March 2022Gilgit Serena Hotel, under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, organized a tree plantation campaign at Ruth Pfau Govt. Girls Inter College Sultanabad in cooperation with the District Forest Office Gilgit. The hotel planted 70 evergreen plants and engaged students in environmental awareness.
• EVK2-CNRcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2022EVK2-CNR signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Forest, Wildlife & Environment Department of Gilgit-Baltistan on 18th February 2022. The signing took place during a meeting between Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Khalid Khurshid and the EVK2-CNR delegation led by Agostino Da Polenza. This partnership represents a strategic collaboration with an international organization focused on mountain development and conservation in the Karakoram region.
• Abu Dhabi Government / ADHEXminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 February 2022The Abu Dhabi Government agreed to provide opportunities for Gilgit-Baltistan's Forest, Parks and Wildlife Department by providing exhibition space at ADHEX (Abu Dhabi Hunting Exhibition held annually) and inviting the Wildlife Department to the International Falconry Festival in January 2023. The department also engaged with the International Association for Falconry & Conservation Birds of Prey at the Pakistan Pavilion Dubai Expo 2020.
• FCNA (Food and Agriculture Organization - implied support)minorOthersThe department held a briefing on Central Karakoram National Park (CKNP) at FCNA headquarters. FCNA appears to support departmental operations and planning for national park management.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature): IUCN sets global conservation standards and manages the Red List used to classify protected species such as Markhor and Snow Leopard that are central to the department's programme. It is an adjacent enabling/thematic organisation in the same conservation space.
• ICIMOD (International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development): ICIMOD is a regional intergovernmental knowledge centre working on mountain ecosystems in the Hindu Kush Himalaya, including the Karakoram. It is an active partner of GBFWE (co-hosted the first Rangeland Policy consultation workshop in 2023) and a thematic peer in mountain conservation and rangeland policy.

Broad incumbents

• National Park Service (US Department of the Interior): The US National Park Service manages a national network of protected areas, providing a direct analog for the Forest, Parks, Wildlife & Environment Department's mandate to administer seven national parks, patrol them, and operate digital ticketing. It is a much larger incumbent in the same conservation-administration domain.
• Forestry Commission (UK): The UK government body responsible for forestry and woodland regulation, management, and conservation. Comparable to GBFWE in its public-sector forestry administration role, though operating at a much larger and more mature scale.
• Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS): WCS operates globally on wildlife conservation and protected-area management, including programmes in Pakistan's northern mountains. It shares the department's focus on endangered species, anti-poaching, and community-led conservation.

Direct peers

• Punjab Wildlife & Parks Department: Manages protected areas and wildlife conservation for the largest Pakistani province. It operates national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and provincial species protection programmes — closely comparable to GBFWE's mandate at a larger scale.
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department: The provincial wildlife authority in the adjacent Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region manages its own national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and trophy hunting programmes — a direct functional peer in the same country and a comparable government mandate.

Emerging players

• Snow Leopard Foundation: A Pakistan-based NGO focused on Snow Leopard conservation and mountain ecosystem protection in Gilgit-Baltistan and surrounding regions. It is an emerging player with overlapping species-protection and community-based conservation work.

Regional players

• WWF-Pakistan: WWF-Pakistan operates major conservation programmes in Pakistan's northern regions including Gilgit-Baltistan, working on species protection (Snow Leopard, Markhor), habitat management, and community-based conservation — overlapping directly with the department's mandate.
• Pakistan Forest Institute: The national forestry research and training institution supporting forestry and forest management policy in Pakistan. It is a regional peer in the forestry-administration domain that overlaps with GBFWE's afforestation and forest management work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCWlYT081_HoUGse-LJ4JvTA
• Facebookfacebook.com/parksandwildlifegb

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Forest, Parks, Wildlife, and Environment Department of Gilgit-Baltistan