Forests of Pakistan

What are forests and its types ?

Presentation C-2 Geography 2012

Presented by Saqib Abdul Jabbar Saqib Javed Advisor : Sir Iazaz Ahmed Bukhari

Overview
1

Definition Production and Protection Forests

Linear and compact forests Different other types of forests

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3 4

Deforestation and its impacts

Forests

Definition
A forest, also referred to as an area of vegetation cover or the woods, where extensive and continuous vegetation cover exist known as forest. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed.

Productive Forests

Production forests
Forests that have commercial value and give economic benefits mostly with the help of valuable timber that helps to produce valuable products, such as furniture for commercial offices and products in the preparation of certain constructions such as hotels. These forests also economically facilitate by producing such items like sports goods such as cricket bats that are exported to earn foreign exchange.

Furniture

CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION S

Sports goods

Protection forests

Protection Forests
These forests protect us from different aspects of Nature. Along the slopes they reduce the rate of siltation and increase the age of dams such as Mangla and reduce the chances of floods, save the economy and life. Along the roads and railways they act as lungs of the atmosphere as pick carbon dioxide reduce the chances of global warming and acid raining by carbonic acid. These also pick dust, smoke, lead etc from the atmosphere and pick noise through stomata to avoid 11

noise pollution. These add oxygen into the atmosphere for respiration and water vapours for better temperature and improve the amount of rain. Alongside the perennial canals these increase the rate of transpiration and reduce the chances of water logging and salinity. These also act as habitat for wild life and save wild life species from disappearing like in the area of Changa Manga near Lahore. In the area of mangroves these act as breeding ground for the fish like in the area of Indus Delta.

Linear Forests

Linear forests
These forests grow or are planted in lines or rows thats why known as linear forest. These are both natural and irrigated. Along the river as Bela forest act as wind break and also reduce soil erosion by water. Along the roads and railway lines act as lungs of the atmosphere as they help picking noise, dust particles, carbon dioxide produced as a result of pollution by cars and railway engines etc. Along the canals avoid water logging and salinity.
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Compact forests

Compact Forests
The trees in these forests are usually congested. They forms a regular or irregular shape. The following visuals illustrates what compact forests look like:

Evergreen

Deciduous

Evergreen and Deciduous Plants

Evergreen Plants o These forests do not shed whole of their leaves during a specific period of time like Alpine trees shed their leaves through out the year one by one. Deciduous Plants o These forest shed whole of their leaves during a specific period of time like Babul which shed whole of its leaves during Autumn.

Alpine Forests

Alpine Forests
Evergreen Forests Height of the Alpine trees is low because enough sunlight and temperature is not there for more growth Color of the leaves is Dark green to absorb maximum sunlight Needle Shaped leaves to avoid water loss Thick Bark act as insulator Roots are along the surface to absorb more water

Uses of Alpine Forests

Source of firewood Habitat for most of the organisms Prevent Floods Reduce chances of Land slides and Avalanches Maintain the environment (act as lungs of environment) Dont have much economic importance

Coniferous Forests

Coniferous Forests
Evergreen Forests They are found as both species of Hardwood and Softwood. Conical in Shape ( their fruit is also conical ) Thick bark that acts as insulator Dark Green colour to absorb maximum sunlight Less leaf-fall provide less humus formation Needle shaped leaves to avoid loss of water Leathery leaves that can even survive in stormy condition Their roots are spread sideways to support the tall structure of tree

Uses of Coniferous Forests

Important source of timber for making furniture and boxes Protect environment (Conserves soil and help in checking floods) Habitat for the different birds Breeding and conserving centers for birds Add to scenic beauty of the country thus attract tourists and promote tourism industry In the Northern Part of Pakistan these help in the occurring of convectional rain through transpiration

Tropical Thorn Forests

Tropical thorn forests

Evergreen forests Have spikes and thorns Low height and scattered shape Waxy layer on wood to avoid transpiration Light green in colour Long roots to approach underground water Their spores have wings to move to suitable places Have fleshy materials to store water in their bodies

Importance of tropical thorn forests

Useful for firewood extraction Act as grazing grounds for animals mostly of nomads Habitat for living creations Provide an echo-system to the area Also act as wind break during wind storms

Irrigated Forests

Irrigated forests
These are the National Parks They can act as Protection forests Productive forests: timber Changa Manga of Lahore is its perfect example Saves wild life Can absorb water at places to avoid water logging and salinity by lowering down water table (Eucalyptus trees mainly)

Mangrove Forests

Mangrove Forests
Scattered Shape Broad leaves with drip tips Leathery texture to minimize transpiration Evergreen Forests Roots are widespread on the ground Stuned growth in Indus and Hub delta Can grow well in fresh water Grow only in swamps

How do they survive in Salty Water

Mangroves have special features which protect them from salt. Some mangroves are able to filter most of the salt out as they take water in through their roots, some concentrate extra salt in old leaves (which turn yellow and die), and some are able to get rid of the salt through the pores on leaves or special glands. Mangroves can also grow in fresh water, but they have almost no competition in salt water because so few plants can grow there.

Importance of Mangrove Forests

Supply of firewood Coastal Communities use these forests for timber Breeding grounds for fished and shrimps Camels and livestock feed on the leave of these mangroves Fallen leaves provide nutrition for marine life Protest coastline from erosion, storm damage and wave action Act as barrier against intensity of earthquakes and tsunamis by absorbing shockwaves

Other importance of forests

Forests keep the weather pleasant by getting moisture through it roots from interior of the earth and spreading through their leaves and branches. Forests provide oxygen gas to human consumption and inhale our Carbon dioxides that may be responsible for acid rain, Forests provide us medicine herbs used in medicines. They provide fruits to human beings and fodder to animals.

Causes of Destruction of Mangroves

Increase in population Pollution Lack of fresh water supply

Sustainable Forestry

Sustainable forestry
It means that we should manage the forest resources in such a way as to ensure what we will be able to obtain the things that we want from the forests on regular basis while conserving the natural environment. It implies continuous production of things; such as wood (the primary product), wild life habitat, recreational opportunities, and so on.

Deforestation

Causes of Deforestation
Large forests have to be removed to grow crops Millions of hectares are cleared including forests to construct Dam along with reservoirs and Barrages Deforestation is caused to urbanize the area (increased population) Forests have to be cut to build roads and railway tracks Wood as timber is used in construction in industrial units at various places; it is also needed to make Furniture, sports goods, etc. The rural population mainly depends on wood for fuel

Effects of Deforestation
Erosion of soil Disruption of the Water Cycle ( Climate becomes dry) Flooding Creates a threat to wild life Air pollution as no carbon is picked by trees More Acid Rain ( More Carbon dioxide in the air will result in formation of more Carbonic Acid)

Thank You