forest resources

FOREST RESOURCES;

Natural vegetation has been central in human.Becuase it,provides ecosystem services for climate range and forage wildlife habitat,biotic diversity, waershed protection, soil erosion control etc.

The need for greater food production has led to a massive increase in cropland.By early 2010's almost 40 percent of earth's land surface had been converted to croplands and permenant pastures.This conversion has occured largely at the expense of natural vegetation.

NATURAL VEGTATION OF PAKKISTAN;

In pakistan the following vegetation types are reconized.

1. Grassland

2. Desert vegetation

3.Forests.

Of the four forests cover percentage group >70%, 40-69%, 10-39%, 0-9% pakistan lies in the last category;0-9%. Between 1981 and 1990 there had been a 4.3% decrease in forest areas of the tropical asia and oceania which pakistan is a part of.During the same period 0.6% deforestation had been occuring each year. This is an alarming situation and needs to be stopped and then reserved, if possible.

Total forest area under the control of the forest departments including azad kashmir and the northern area is 4.26 million hectares.The per capita forest area is only 0.037 ha compered 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 afforestation/regeneration progammes.

OF 4.26 million hectares of forest area only 1.12 million hectares 26.3% produce timber and firewood the rest are meant to protect the watershed and erodible lands.

Besides forests the forest departments also control 6.4 million hectaresof rangelands.In fact there are about 51.3million hectares of rangelands in pakistan.These ranges provide sustenance to livesstock population of about 98.6 millions.Being under incessant grazing pressure these land are producing harldy 10-15% of their actual pote,ial iver grazing has intensified the problems of desertification resulting in accelerated soil erosion and degradation of plant communities.

Present the forest area by type and rangelands in pakistan including azad kashmir and the northern areas.......