Community and Institutional Drivers of Deforestation, Environmental Impacts, and Extension Interventions for Forest Management in the Hindu Kush Himalaya

Abstract

Deforestation in Pakistan's mountainous regions, particularly in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), presents significant environmental, social, and economic challenges. Despite various control measures, deforestation persists due to institutional weaknesses and community pressures. This paper explores the institutional and community drivers of deforestation, its environmental impacts, and extension interventions. Focus group discussions (FGDs) with community members from 10 HKH villages provided diverse perspectives. Findings revealed that deforestation results from institutional failures, such as ineffective enforcement of regulations, deficient extension services, and corruption, along with community factors like elite capture, political patronage of offenders, dependence on livestock, communal forest distribution, and limited job opportunities for youth. This has led to ecological deterioration, including climate change, water scarcity, and heightened flood risks. Despite the inadequacy of the extension system, it plays a vital role in promoting sustainable forest management by overcoming resistance to restoration programs and encouraging community participation and decision‐making. Policy recommendations focus on strengthening extension services for effective forest management and conservation, particularly by providing extension agents with necessary physical resources, such as staff, vehicles, and office facilities, along with training to enhance their operational capacity.