Below is a summary of some of the climate adaptation initiatives our team in Pakistan is helping to ethically implement with communities in snow leopard habitats.
Water Management
Many of our partner communities are within fragile, sub-alpine scrub ecosystems that have become severely degraded. To address this, SLF has partnered with Village Conservation and Development Organizations (VCDOs) to improve water management. Our team helps construct irrigation channels and install water transmission systems, ensuring water reaches the rangelands. By restoring these ecosystems through improved water access, we are assisting in regenerating vegetation, stabilizing soils and creating a healthier habitat for local wildlife.
Establishment of Closures
Natural forest regeneration in high-altitude regions faces numerous challenges, including unrestricted livestock grazing, harvesting of fodder and medicinal plants and deforestation for timber and fuelwood. These pressures make large-scale reforestation expensive and labor-intensive. Our team is partnering with the local communities to close off forest areas for 3-5 years through ‘social fencing’ to encourage natural regeneration.
This allows forest areas to recover by preventing further degradation from grazing and logging. Community forest guards help protect these areas. Natural regeneration restores degraded landscapes at minimal cost and benefits local biodiversity by providing refuge for endangered plant and animal species.
Conservation Tourism
Our team has supported initiatives involving eco-friendly tourism facilities such as Tourist Information/Facilitation Centers, wildlife viewing points and glamping (luxury camping) sites with low environmental impact. Communities are supported in developing conservation tourism plans to ensure that the facilities contribute to environmental conservation while offering sustainable livelihood opportunities for local people. One aspect of this is replacing traditional cement structures with more low-impact and climate-adaptive designs, which helps promote responsible tourism that benefits the community and the environment.
Promotion of Energy-Efficient Stoves and LPG
One of the major conservation challenges in rural Pakistan is the reliance on forest wood for fuel. Our team has launched a program to enable local communities to access liquid petroleum gas cylinders and energy-efficient stoves to reduce dependency on forest resources. Through agreements with VCDOs, grants were provided to adopt energy-efficient technologies. This helps preserve forests and improve air quality and household energy efficiency, leading to better health and environmental outcomes.
Rehabilitation of Barren Land through Solar Pumps
Local people primarily rely on stream water for irrigation and drinking. However, water scarcity and unreliable access to water sources have posed significant challenges for agriculture. Upon requests from communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, our team conducted a detailed feasibility study with civil engineers to assess the potential of installing solar-powered pumps for irrigation.
Agreements were signed with the communities through their respective VCDOs, and grants were obtained to help them procure the necessary materials and equipment. The installation of solar pumps has transformed the local agricultural landscape. Each pump benefits approximately 100 households and brings up to 80 hectares of barren land under irrigation. This initiative improves water security and boosts agricultural productivity, contributing to food security, income generation and environmental rehabilitation.
Fruit Tree Plantations and Orchard Development
To support climate adaptation and help diversify livelihoods, our team has initiated large-scale fruit tree plantation projects with communities. After conducting focus group discussions with community members that emphasized the involvement of women, our team collaborated with the country’s Agriculture Department to select fruit tree species that are well-suited to the region’s climate. Varieties such as walnut, cherry, pear, plum, apricot, grape and mulberry are among the preferred species.
Agreements for fruit tree plantations are signed with VCDOs, and costs are shared. High-quality, grafted fruit plants are purchased from public and private nurseries, ensuring they are appropriate for the local environment. Community members receive training in orchard management, including planting, pruning and general care, to ensure successful implementation. The program empowers communities by enhancing agricultural productivity and promoting sustainable land use.
Gabion Walls for Landslide Control
Landslides are a common threat to communities in mountainous regions, often damaging valuable agricultural land and posing risks to local infrastructure. Our team has implemented a program for constructing gabion walls at critical sites prone to landslides. These walls, made from wire mesh filled with stones, act as barriers that stabilize the soil and prevent further erosion. The locations for gabion wall construction are carefully selected in consultation with local engineers and community representatives. By protecting community land from landslide damage, this intervention safeguards agricultural productivity and contributes to the long-term resilience of these vulnerable communities.
These efforts try to address critical environmental and community challenges in high-altitude regions of Pakistan. They are helping local communities conserve biodiversity and build resilience against climate change. Initiatives like conservation tourism and fruit tree plantations foster sustainable livelihoods, while infrastructure projects like gabion walls protect vulnerable areas from natural disasters. These integrated efforts will contribute towards a sustainable future for mountain communities to coexist with snow leopards and other wildlife.
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Photo credits: SLF-Pakistan, Sardar Jamal Khan Leghari (Jamal Leghari Photography)
Acknowledgments: Financial and technical support were provided by the following groups: Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC&EC), The Sabin Snow Leopard Grant Program, Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN), Global Environment Facility (GEF)