The North-East Unit of G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment was set up in the year 1989 and started functioning from Chuchuyimlang, Mokokchung in Nagaland. In 1997, the Unit was shifted to Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh and since then, the Unit has been meaningfully contributing to the cause of conservation and development of the entire NE region, which is known for its rich diversity, be it biological, socio-cultural, linguistic or ethnic. The biological and cultural richness of the region could be gauged from the fact that it harbours highest mammalian and avifauna diversity in India with more than 250 mammalian and 900 avifauna species, while according to Indian Red Data Book, 800 species of endangered flowering plants are reported from the region, which accounts to 55% of the country. Culturally, the region is home to more than 145 native tribes who along with other communities of the region speak about 220 dialects.

Unfortunately, the rich biodiversity of the region is currently facing various threats including degradation, deforestation, settlement expansion, indiscreet hunting, therefore, warranting to develop viable, replicable and effective community-based resource management initiatives to conserve it. The Unit, through wider networking with strategic partner institutions, credible NGOs, line departments of north-eastern states and others, and fruitful collaboration with international (UNDP, UNESCO, Mac-Arthur, ICIMOD, IUCN, etc.) and national (MoEF, DST, DBT, IIRS, NRSA, NATP, NEC, etc.) organisations, has been able to make an impact on the conservation of the biological resources and development of the culturally rich and unique ethnic communities of the entire region by implementing more than 35 R&D projects across the NE region. In the process, some of the critical issues like biodiversity conservation through CBNRM, shifting agriculture focussing on fallow management, technology development, dissemination and backstopping, documentation and validation of TEK, role of culture in biodiversity conservation and development, etc. are being addressed. The Unit has also contributed to inventory of biodiversity including ichthyo-faunal diversity, where two new species of cat fish Erethistoidessenkhiensis and Glyptothoraxdikrongensis, new to science have been discovered.