This document provides information on the different forest types found in Pakistan. It discusses 9 forest types: 1) Littoral and Swamp forests, 2) Tropical thorn forests, 3) Tropical dry deciduous 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, and 9) Alpine scrub. For each forest type, it discusses their distribution, locality factors, and dominant flora. The total forest area in Pakistan is 4.26 million hectares, which is a very small percentage of the total land

1. Assignment Forestry and
Watershed Management
Name: Tahreem Yasin
Roll:139 (Replica)
Submitted to:Sir Hameedullah Malik

2. FORESTRY TYPES OF PAKISTAN
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 and
16,000 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.

3. As recognition of the multiple values of forests has grown,
so have concerns for their disappearance. In Pakistan,
subtropical, temperate, riverain 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 agroforestry
practices and the development of plantations and
deforestation practices are needs of the hour.

4. 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 ha 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.

5. FOREST TYPES OF 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

6. (1) Littoral and Swamp forests.
The world Littoral and Swamp forests cover at least 14
million hectares and 257500 hectors 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.

7. 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.

8. 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
Balochistan and along the coast of Gwadar.
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.

9. (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.

10. DISTRIBUTION: these forests occur at elevation 1200
ft. The types of forest
naturally 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 Balochistan.
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.

11. FLORISTIC; Acacia nilotica(kikar) Ziziphus
mauritiana. (Ber), Tamarix aphylla (Farash) and
Salvadora oleoides (Pilu, wan), prosopis cineraria
(And).Haloxylon.

12. (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.

13. 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 elevation 1200-2000 ft.
LOCALITY FACTORS: The spring is hot and dry
but there is much rain in late
summer up to 37 inches in the year.

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

15. (4) SUB-TROPICAL BROAD-LEAVED
EVERGREEN FORESTS:
These are xerophytes forests of thorny and small-leaved
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.

16. Distribution;These scrub forest occurs at
height of 1500-5000 feet. These forests found
in Gujrat, Margalla Hills, Attock and Malakand.
Actually broadly speaking, these forests occur
throughout the country at suitable elevation
merging downwards with the subtropical pine
forest.

17. LOCALITY FACTORS; Temperature runs high in
summer and long dry seasons.
FLORISTIC; Olea cuspidata (Kau) and Acacia
modesta (Phulai), Dodonaea viscose(snatha).
Acacia modesta (phulai).Pistacia integerrima.

18. (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.

19. Distribution; Chir forests found between 3500-
5500 ft. elevations. Abbottabad,Mansehra, Kashmir,
Dir, swat.
LOCALITY FACTORS; Mean annual temperature
lies between 60F to 72F' andmonsoon rainfall is
usually 30-50 inches.
FLORISTIC: Chir pine (Pinus roxburghii), quercus
incana, (white oak) Pyrus pashia,pistacia
integerrima

20. (6) HIMALAYAN MOIST TEMPERATE
FORESTS:
These are the evergreen forests of conifers.
They also extend into dry temperature forest
and to small extent into sub alpine forest.
Locally with some admixture of oak and
deciduous broad-leaved trees fall in this
category. Their undergrowth is rarely dense,
and consists of both evergreen and deciduous
species.

21. Distribution; These forests occur between 4500
feet to 10,000 feet elevation. Mainlythese are found
in Murree, Kaghan, AJK, and Nathia Gali.Shogran.
LOCALITY FACTORS; Rainfall is permanent
feature of monsoon and rain is quite
inpredictable.FLORISTIC; Cedrus deodara
(Deodar, diar), Pinus wallichiana, Abies
pindrow(fir)Picea smithiana(spruce)

22. (7) Himalayan dry temperate forests
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.

23. DISTRIBUTION:generally occur at elevation of 5000-
11000 ft extending to 12000 fton 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 vally, hogher 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.

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

25. (8) SUB-ALPINE FORESTS:
In sub alpine forests Abis pindrow and
pinuswallichina stand singly and in groups over in
irregular and sometimes dense, lower story is of
broad leaved trees in which Betula utilis is typically
dominated at higher elevation.(Betula utilis {(birch),
in early days the bark of Betula utilis was used as
writing material because at that time paper was not

26. DISTRIBUTION:
Subalpine 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
Hazard.
LOCALITY FACTORS: mean annual temperature is 50 F or
less. These areas
receive appreciable amount of snow and rainfall.
FLORISTIC: Abies pindrow (fir), batula utilizes(birch),
Juniperus communis and
primula.

27. (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 moreabove the

28. 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 (Sumbul,
Sumblue), Cotoneaster with Juniperus and
occasionally Rhododendron or
Ephedra(Tasmania)