Located in the cradle of an ancient civilization, famed for its ibex(Capra ibex) population, snow clad mountains and long eternal glaciers, the Bar Valley is a haven for ecotourists. A collective name for the Dainter and Garamsai River Valleys, the Bar Va
lley originates west of the Batura mountain in the Karakoram Range and slopes down to Barkot village a few kilometres upstream from the Bola Das River.
The Northern Areas of Pakistan is dominated by the rugged, glacier-covered Karakoram mountains, a mountain range with the second highest peak in the world (K2) and a dozen other peaks over 7,500 metres in height, such as the majestic Rakaposhi towers at 7
,789m and the Batura at 7,785m. Bar Valley is one of the many narrow, steep mountain valleys just below the highest peaks of the Karakoram, which are often glacier-filled, terminating in a larger river valley (e.g. Hunza River, Gilgit River, Indus River)
.
As the Northern Areas north of Gilgit are very dry, vegetation is generally sparse. Lower elevations in the bottom of the valleys are virtually devoid of any vegetation. However, immediately above this steppe is a sparsely vegetated zone dominated by shru
bs such as wormseed(Artemisia maritima), with species of pencil cedar(Juniperus excelsa), wild rose(Rosa webbiana) and water pepper(Polygonum hydropiper) found on the dry slopes. Scrub forests of birch(Betula utilis), willow(Salix) and poplar(Populus) occ
ur in the riparian zone along streams and rivers.
Above this zone is the "alpine meadow zone". The alpine meadow zone has moist alpine pastures consisting of many different species of herbs, and dry alpine plateau pastures house several grasses and shrubs. The highest zone is the "nival zone," an unveget
ated zone dominated by seasonal and permanent snowfields.
Important wildlife species in addition to Himalayan ibex include snow leopard(Panthera uncia), brown bear(Ursus arctos), wolf(Canis lupus), chukar or snow partridge(Alectoris chukor) and Himalayan snowcock(Tetragallus himalayensis).
Here, WWF-Pakistan has been asked by the local community to assist in the development and implementation of a plan for sustainable wildlife utilization and management of the Siberian Ibex (Capra ibex sibirica) population for the benefit of the locals of
the valley, as well as conservation. Benefits from the income generating activities of this project go to the community and help protect wildlife and other resources. Trophy hunting licences are sold for $3,000 each to foreigners and Rs.25,000($700) to lo
cals. Seventy-five per cent of the proceeds go back into the community; the government gets the rest.