The project is based on initial surveys of the woolly flying squirrel habitats at Sai Nallah and the Jutial gorge, and careful assessment of the conservation issues in other sites. (Please refer to Prof. Z. B. Mirza?s report on Avi fauna survey in Woolly flying squirrel habitat in the Sai Nullah, and village based information for Jutial, submitted by BASDO to UNDP) These surveys were financed by GEF/SGP grant during the planning grant. As a result of these surveys the project area was selected covering two sites near Gilgit. These project sites are located in a high mountain, which is an eastward spur of the Hindukush range with high peaks up to 5755m. in the west, 4939m. in the middle and 4841m. in the eastern part. The watershed of this permanently snow covered massif is in the Gilgit River (a tributary of Indus) along its northern face and into the Indus River along its southern face. The northern face is steeper with icy cold water streams, flowing very fast usually through narrow rocky gorges. Below the permanent snow zone are some patches of fine pastures and meadows, some stands of Birch trees which merge below with junipers and blue pine forest patches. This is the zone where the endangered woolly flying squirrel is found in a unique pattern of habitat, to which it is so rigidly adapted that it is vulnerable to extinction if deforestation is allowed to continue in its habitat. This lives in caves and holes in the vertical rocks and huge cliffs, and requires Blue pines and water resource within five hundred meters. Generally the terrain is barren, steep and rocky, with sparse growth of trees. Although the access to these forests and pastures are very difficult, and the people live in agro-pastoral setting, with scarcity of economic opportunities, yet trees are cut, sometimes in huge numbers and the logs are then water transported.

The gradual increase in the human population level over the years has persistently increased the pressure on natural resources. In recent years it has become immense on forest resources. The deforestation of slopes has not only eroded the soil but has also affected the permanent snow zone, which is already receding naturally with the global climatic change. Deforestation is also done to terrace the land for agricultural use to get immediate gains. Most of these terraced lands become nutrient deprived, and the crop yields are diminished. Land subdivision generation after generation has led to the less viable family based production units.

In some valleys of Northern Areas the ?community support programmes? by WWF-P and AKRSP have now become sustainable for conservation and development. In Bar valley Himalayan Ibex and the associated wildlife species and their habitats have useful impact as a result of incentive-based community participation. The sale of the five Ibex trophies fetched to the community a sum of Rs. 240,000, which was used for the establishment of health unit in the village. This initiative got the attention of other communities in the nearby valleys, which have desired to replicate this successful effort with BASDO and WWF-P.

BASDO has during its Sai Nallah survey of Bird life in the habitat of Woolly flying Squirrel hired the services of a senior Scientist of the country Prof. Z. B. Mirza to train a young local scientist. Latter on another trained young local scientist of BASDO surveyed more valleys. As a result of these surveys issues were identified, including the threats to the habitat of the endemic and threatened Woolly flying Squirrel. Sites have been selected after collecting initial field data. The problems of the Woolly Flying Squirrel conservation and their relationship with the communities have also been understood and the opportunities to resolve them have been perceived.

To save Woolly flying Squirrel from extinction by conserving its habitat and reducing the negative pressure of the communities living in or near the habitat of the woolly flying squirrel by creating awareness about conservation, developing alternative livelihood sources to generate income for the communities and promoting fuelwood plantations.