ABSTRACT

This Unit focus on the different

type of forests found in Pakistan
and the need to protect and
foster the development of forest
cover in Pakistan
BLAST FROM THE PAST

Year Series

Forests 2018 May June

Theme 02
Natural resources -an issue of sustainability 2016

2020 Oct Nov

2016

2015

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Falls in Primary industry, as raw materials are obtained from nature i.e. Mining, Farming & Fishing.
Forests are continuous areas dominated by trees
✓ Ideally a country must have 20-30% area covered with forest, unfortunately
Pakistan has only 5.7% in 2019.

Productive Forests Protection Forests

- One Third of Forests - Two Third of Forests

- Natural - Plantation (by man)
- High density - Equally spaced/linear
- High commercial value - Mostly low commercial value
e.g. Timber - e.g. to prevent soil erosion,
- for Construction/furniture - pleasant environment by lowering
temperature/providing shade

IMPORTANCE OF FOREST

They reduce air pollution by absorbing pollutants like nitrogen +provide oxygen
They provide (natural) habitat for wild life (food, nesting sites etc.)
They prevent soil erosion as their roots hold soil and their leaves intercept rain
They increase the fertility of soil by decomposition of leaves
They reduce flooding by regulating water supply
They provide employment to those who work in forest department
And also work in such industries which use wood as a raw material
They attract tourism due to their scenic beauty
Their products e.g. ephedra are used in pharmaceutical industry
Their products are also used in chemical industry e.g. resin for varnishes
They are used as raw material in wood based industry e.g. timber is used in construction industry
in flooring and in making cupboards etc
o …… in furniture industry for making tables, chairs etc
o …… in sports goods industry e.g. bats, racquets etc
o …... in transport industry e.g. in making wooden cart, bus bodies, in making of boats, in
railway , sleepers
Wood is used in agriculture e.g. in agricultural implements like wooden plough
Mazri,a minor product of forests is used in making packing materials and baskets
Wood pulp is used in paper industry.

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PRODUCTS OF FOREST

Main Products Minor Products

Timber Firewood Resin Mazri Ephedra
Construction Cooking/Heating Varnishes Packing material Medicine

LOCATION OF FOREST

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MAIN FOREST TYPES

Forest Type Diagram/Image

Alpine -

Features - Stunted growth

- Roots Spread Sideways,
- Upward branches

Reasons for - To get more nutrients

feature - To get more sunlight

Use/Purpose - For furniture / boxes /

- crates
- For paper and pulp
- Protection from
landslides
- Tourism

Areas - Northern Areas

(Chitral, Dir,Kohistan)

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Forest Type Diagram/Image

Coniferous -

Features Evergreen
Conical
Sloping branches Thick and
-Leathery leaves
-Needle shaped leaves.
-Thick bark
- Shallow roots

Reasons for - To get benefit from short

feature - growing season.

- For less transpiration

- To tolerate cold

- To absorb water from

melting snow

Purpose - Sports goods etc.

- Checking floods
- Conserve Soil
- Tourism due to Scenic-beauty
- Reduce air pollution

Areas Abbottabad
Murree
Mansehra

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Forest Type Diagram/Image

Bela/Riverain

Features -planted by man

-Linear
-Equally
Spaced
-Same species
-Same size
-Same height
Reasons
for
feature

Purpose - For furniture /

agricultural
- instruments /
construction
- Firewood

Areas River Indus & Its

tributaries

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Forest Type Diagram/Image

Sub-Tropical or
Tropical Thorn Forest or
Rakh Forest

Features -Small/medium
height
-Rounded bushe
-Hardwood
-Deciduous
-Thorny

Reasons
for
feature

Areas Punjab Plain

Sindh Plain
Thar desert
Potowar Plateau
Kharan Desert

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Forest Type Diagram/Image

Irrigated

Features Plantation, linear,

equally spaced,
same species,
same age, water
regularly supplied.

Purpose Firewood
• Shade
• For construction /
fencing

Areas Thal
Bahawalpur
Changa manga
Chichawatni
(sahiwal)
Guddu &
Taunsa (barrage)

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Forest Type Diagram/Image

Mangrove

Features Broad leaves.

-Leathery leaves
-survive in
salty water

Features For more sunlight

To reduce transpiration

As their roots filter out salts

and their leaves excrete
extra salts

Purpose - Leaves (food)

- for livestock.
- Prevent coastal erosion
Protection against
tsunamis as they absorb
shockwaves Protection

Areas - Coastal Area of Sindh

- Coastal Area of
Balochistan

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DEFORESTATION

- Falling/Cutting of trees

CAUSES OF DEFORESTATION

- to grow crops
- for mining
- for construction of dams etc
- Growing population
- Urbanization
- More residential areas
- Over grazing by sheep and goats
- Used as fire wood e.g. in heating, cooking
- Used in wood-based industry e.g. paper industry
- Used in making chipboards
- Used in making safety matches
- Used in transport e.g. railway sleepers
- Used in sports goods industry e.g. bats etc

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EFFECTS OF DEFORESTATION

- No roots to hold soil

….and no leaves to intercept rain
Therefore, soil erosion.
• loss of nutrients for agriculture
- Siltation so less water in reservoirs of dams
• So, less production of HEP/irrigation
- More floods and thus destruction e.g.
• loss of life, loss of livestock. Crops destroyed; roads washed away etc.
- Silt is deposited on farmland due to Flooding, if fertile better crop next year
- Low rainfall due to less transpiration
• So low crop yield especially in Barani areas
- Loss to natural habitat
• So, loss of wild life

SOLUTIONS

- Selective cutting
- Heavy machinery be restricted in forests
- Reforestation
- Land reserved for fuel wood plantation
- Forestation on hill slopes through terracing, contour ploughing and strip farming which
will reduce soil erosion, silting and flooding
- Awareness about the benefits of forests through media, NGO’s etc
- Supply of natural gas to Northern areas
- Nurseries for more plants
- Forest laws be strictly implemented

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SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY
means managing forest resources in such a way as to ensure that
we will be able to obtain the things we want from the forests on Afforestation Projects
a regular basis, while also conserving the natural environment.
1 AKRSP (Agha Khan
It implies continuous production of resources such as wood (the
. Rural Support
primary product traditionally), water, wildlife habitat, Programs)
recreational opportunities, and so on.
New trees have been
- New areas of forests planted approx. 80,000
- Reforestation of trees from where they have been cut trees
down 2. Rechna Doab Baltistan
- Planting such trees which do not need irrigation
Rs 34 Million Government
- Maintain forests to ensure forests are available for future planted trees in area of
selective cutting Chenab and Ravi rivers

However, Long term Investment

3. Tarbela/ Mangla
Watershed Project
Afforestation of private
- Trees take many years to grow owned badland.
- Many years before financial return
- High cost of planting
- Costs during growth

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