University of Gujrat

(Sialkot Campus)
ENVIRONMENTAL
SCIENCES
FORESTS IN PAKISTAN

Name: Salman Naseer

Course: Introduction to Environmental
Science

Instructor: Maam Qurat-ul-Aain

Due Date: 20th April, 2015
Section: BBA-B
Roll No: 115

INTRODUCTION:
The total area of forests in Pakistan is 4.224 million ha which is 4.8% of
the total land area. However, it may be mentioned here that the farmland
trees and linear planting along roadsides, canal sides and railway sides
covering an estimated area of 466,000 ha and16, 000 ha respectively do
not constitute forests within the context of legal, ecological
or silvicultural/management definition of forests. The situation is also
similar, but to a lesser extent, in the case of miscellaneous plantations
over an area of 155,000 ha. If the area of these three categories of
plantations is excluded from total forest area of 4.224 million ha, then the
latter is reduced to 3.587 million ha which is approximately 4.1 % of the
total area. As recognition of the multiple values of forests has grown, so
have concerns for their disappearance. In Pakistan, subtropical,
temperate, rive rain and mangrove forests are being lost because of
questionable land use practices and the ever-increasing demand for
timber and firewood. As a result, more responsible management
approaches are being demanded that can accommodate complex
economic and ecological needs. Designation of selected forestlands as
national parks, area for agro-forestry practices and the development of
plantations and a forestation practices are needs of the hour. Total Forest
Area under the control of the Forest Departments (including Azad Kashmir
and the Northern Areas) is 4.26 million hectares. The per capita forest
area is only 0.037 compared to the world average of ONE ha. Main reason
for this is that more than 70% land area of Pakistan is Arid and semi-Arid
with annual rainfall of 250-500 mm: too low and erratic to sustain natural
vegetation and to plan a forestation/regeneration programmer.

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Forest
Type

NWF
P

Punja Sind Baluchist

b
h
an

Norther
n Areas

Azad
Total
Kashm
ir

Conifero
us

1105

29

131

285

361

1191

Irr.
Plantatio
n
Riverain
Forests

142

82

226

51

241

297

Scrub
Forests

115

340

10

163

658

1287

Coastal
Forests

345

345

Mazri
Lands

24

24

Linear
Pltns.

Private
Pltns.

159

159

Range
Lands

150

2683

490

787

2104

195

6409

TOTAL

1555

3249

1168

1086

3049

557

10664

Forest Areas and Rangelands (in ha.)

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Types of Forests in Pakistan

Following are the types of forests found in Pakistan;

1. Littoral and Swamp forests

2. Tropical dry deciduous forests
3. Tropical thorn forests
4. Sub-tropical broad-leaved evergreen forests
5. Sub-tropical pine forests
6. Himalayan moist temperate forests
7. Himalayan dry temperate forests
8. Sub-alpine forests
9. Alpine scrub

1. Littoral and Swamp forests

The world Littoral and Swamp forests cover at least 14 million hectors and
257500hectors of these are found in Pakistan which is 7th largest Littoral
and Swamp forests in world. Forest is evergreen. The root produce aerial
outgrowths from the soil which protrude from the wet ground like fingers;
these are called pneumatophores. The seed germinate on the mother
plant before shedding and fall on wet ground in the form of small seedling.
This phenomenon is called vivipary. This forest is not important from the
point of view of timber production. Mangrove forests are teeming with life.
They are natural habitat to a large number of insects, microorganisms,
birds, different mammals as well as snakes. Mangrove areas act as
physical breeding grounds and nurseries for fish, shrimp and crabs.
During winters, many guest birds from north also come to breed here. It
also protects the coast against tidal erosion.
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Distribution:
These forests occur at elevation 0-20 ft. These are more or less
gregarious forests of low height which occur in the Arabian Sea
around the coast of Karachi and Pasni in Baluchistan and along the
coast of Gawader.

Floristic:
The main species is Avicennia marina (timer) (99%). Other species like
Rhizophora have disappeared over a period of time due to heavy cutting.
According to latest estimates, these forests cover an area of 207,000 ha.
Ceriops tagal also present.

2. Tropical Thorn Forests

In upper Indus plains these forests are known as Rakh forest while in lower
Indus plains as Desert forests. In open low forests in which thorny usually
hard wood species predominant. These trees have short bole and low
branching crowns. Regeneration occurs by root sucker. They are primarily
used as firewood.

Distribution:
These forests occur at elevation 1200 ft. The types of forestnaturally
growing over the whole of Indus plain except for the driest parts and area
covered by annual inundation. They are most widespread in the Punjab
plains but also occupy small areas in southern Sindh and western
Baluchistan.

Locality Factor:
Means annual temperature varies from 75F TO 80F while mean annual
rainfall is 30 inch down to 5 inch with variation from year to year.

Floristic:
Acaca nilotica (kikar), Zizyphus mauratiana (Ber), Tamarix aphylla
(Farash) and Salvadora oleoides (Pilu, wan), prosopis cmeraria
(Jand), Haloxylan.

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3. Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests

These are forests of low or moderate height consisting almost entirely of
deciduous species. Their canopy is typically light though it may appear
fairly dense and complete during the short rainy season.

Distribution:
This type does not occur extensively in Pakistan but there are limited
areas in the Rawalpindi foothills carrying this vegetation type, all much
adversely affected by close proximity to habitation or cultivation. The
forests occur at elevation1200-2000 ft.

Locality Factors:
The spring is hot and dry but there is much rain in late summer up to 37
inches in the year.

Floristic:
The chief tree species are Lannea (Kamlai, Kembal), Bombax ceiba
(Semal), Sterculia, Flacourtia
(Kakoh, Kangu), Mallotus (Kamila, Raiuni) and Acaciacatechu (Kath).
Common shrubs are Adhatoda (Bankar, Basuti, Bansha), Gymnosporia
(Putaki) and Indigofera (Kathi, Kainthi), dalbergia sissio (shisham).

4. Sub-Tropical Broad-Leaved Evergreen Forests

These are xerophytes forests of thorny and small-leafed evergreen
species. Commonly theses are known as scrub forests.
These forest consist of branchy trees forming a canopy if complete closure
or scattered trees with a shrub growth. These trees and shrubs are mostly
thorny and evergreen, but some, like olive and pomegranate are not
thorny.

Distribution:
These scrub forest occurs at height of 1500-5000 feet. These forests found
in Gujrat, Margalla Hills, Attock and Malakand. Actually broadly speaking,

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these forests occur throughout the country at suitable elevation merging

downwards with the sub-tropical pine forest.

Locality Factors:
Temperature runs high in summer and long dry seasons.

Floristic:
Olea cuspidate (Kau) and Acacia modesta (Phulai), Dodonaea viscose
(snatha), Acacia modesta (phulai), Pistacia integerrima.

5. Sub-Tropical Pine Forests

Generally known as Chir pine forests, having canopy which may be up to
120ft. high with trees up to 7-8ft girth. There are heavy needle falling May
and forests are in variously burnt unless special protection measures are
taken. These are open inflammable pine forests sometimes with, but often
without, a dry evergreen shrub layer and little or no Underwood.

Distribution:
Chir forests found between 3500-5500 ft. elevations.
Manshera, Kashmir, Dir, swat.

Abbottabad,

Locality Factors:
Mean annual temperature lies between 60F to 72F and monsoon rainfall is
usually 30-50 inches.

Floristic:
Chir pine (Pinus roxburghii),
pashia, pistacia integerrima.

quercus

incana,

(white

oak)

Pyrus

6. Himalayan Moist Temperate Forests

These are the evergreen forests of conifers. They also extend into dry
temperatureforestand to small extent into sub alpine forest. Locally with s
ome admixture of oak anddeciduous broad-leaved trees fall in this
category. Their undergrowth is rarely dense, and consists of both
evergreen and deciduous species.

Distribution:

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These forests occur between 4500 feet to 10,000 feet elevation. Mainly
these are found in Murree, Kaghan, AJK, and Nathiagali, Shogran.

Locality Factors:
Rainfall is permanent feature of monsoon and rain is quite unpredictable.

Floristic:
Cedrus deodara (Deodar, diar), Pinus wallichiana, Abies pindrow (fir) Picea
smithiana (spruce). These forests are divided into a lower and an upper
zone, in each of which definite species of conifers and/or oaks dominate.
In
the
lower
zone,
Cedrus
deodara
(Deodar,
diar),
Pinus
wallichiana, Picea smithiana and Abies pindrow (Partal) are the main
conifer species in order of increasing altitude, with Quercus incana (Rin,
rinj) at lower altitudes and Q.dilatata above 2130 m. In the upper
zone Abies pindrow and Q.semecarpifolia are the dominant tree species.
There may be pockets of deciduous broad-leaved trees, mainly
edaphically conditioned, in both the zones.

7. Himalayan Dry Temperate Forest

These are open evergreen forest with open scrub undergrowth. Both
coniferous and broad-leaved species are present. This type occurs on the
inner ranges throughout their length and are mainly represented in the
north-west.

Distribution:
Generally occur at elevation of 5000-11000 ft extending to 12000 ft on
southern aspects. In the inner mountain ranges which are beyond the
effective reach of the South-West monsoon. Areas, where these are
growing include Northern Areas Chitral, Neelam, Kaghan valley, higher
parts of Suleiman range Ziarat and Shingarh.

Locality Factors:
The annual total rainfall is less than 30 inches and this type of forest it
confined to hilly country and most it on steep rocky slopes.

Floristic:
Dry zone
Cedrus
deodara
(deodar), Pinus gerardiana
(Chalghoza)
and/or Quercus ilex are the main species. Higher up, blue pine
communities occur and in the driest inner tracts, forests of blue pine,
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Juniperus macropoda (Abhal, Shupa, Shur) and some Picea smithiana (e.g.
in Gilgit) are found locally.

8. Sub-Alpine Forests:
In sub alpine forests Abis pindrow and Pinus wallichina stand singly and in
groups over in irregular and sometimes dense, lower story is of broad
leaved trees in which Betula utilus is typically dominated at higher
elevation. (Betula utilus {(birch),} in early days the barks of Betula utilus
was used as writing material because at that time paper was not
invented.

Distribution:
Sub-alpine forests zone is topmost tree formation in Himalaya being
developed between 11000 to 12000 ft on northern aspects. It is found
Kashmir, upper dir, swat, Chitral and Hazara.

Locality Factors:
Mean annual temperature is 50F or less. These areas receive appreciable
amount of snow and rainfall.

Floristic:
Abies pindrow
(fir),
Juniperus communis and primula.

batula utilizes

(birch),

9. Alpine Scrub:
At this zone quite a limited no. of species exists. The stems are generally
flexible and adapted to snow pressure. Good herbaceous flora is also
present. Under this type are included shrub formations 1 m to 2 m high
extending 150 m or more above the sub-alpine forests.

Distribution:
Generally about 1100 ft. Altitude and above. Alpine are present in
Kashmir. Hazara, Upper DIR.

Floristic:
The characteristic genera are Salix, Lonicera (Phut), Berberis

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(Sumbul,
Sumblue), Cotoneaster with
Rhododendron or Ephedra (Asmania).

Juniperus

and occasionally

Advantages and Disadvantages of Forests

Advantages:
The major importance of forests is:

Nature maintains a balance between carbon dioxide and oxygen.

Forests trees help in bringing sufficient rainfall on earth.
Forests are also helps in conservation of soil.
Forests provide habitat to wildlife and help in their preservation.
It provides food, medicinal herbs as well as other satisfactory
requirement to fulfill our needs.

Disadvantages:
Forests can cause effect of:

Habitat Destruction.
Economic Impacts.
Soil Quality.
Water Quality.
Air Quality.

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 Climate.

References
1. https://www.scribd.com/doc/100666760/Forest-Types-ofPakistan
2. http://pakistangeographic.com/forests.html
3.

http://www.wildlifeofpakistan.com/IntroductiontoPakistan/fore
stsofPakistan.htm

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