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General
In Pakistan the actual
forest area is 3.06 million hectares corresponding to only 3.8% of the
total land area. In Sindh there are 32,000 hectares of riverine and
inland (irrigation) forest plantations, apart from 835,000 hectares of
mangrove forests and range land. About 52Z of national domestic energy
requirement comes from fuel wood. Pakistan is expected to have fuel
wood supply deficit of 17.5 millions cubic meter by the year 2000 A.D.
The forest is under threat due to species destruction through human
action, population, primarily habitat destruction and introduction of
food and fiber crops in to residual natural environments. The
regeneration of forests is limited by the fragility of the seeds of
its trees. Those of most species germinate within a few days or weeks.
They have little time to be carried by animals or water, currents
across the stripped land into favourable sites for growth. Most sprout
and die in the hot, dry and sterile soil of the cleared land. The
monitoring of logged site indicates that regeneration of mature forest
may take centuries. The greater damage is combined with low soil
fertility, no active forest exists near by to provide seeds,
restoration might never occur without human intervention. If the
forests can be saved in a manner that improves local economics, the
biodiversity crisis will be dramatically eased.
Introduction.
Sindh covers an area
of about 141,000 square kilometers and has an estimated population
24.2 millions. About 70% of rural population live in settlements of
less than 500 inhabitant.
The forests of
Pakistan are a good source of soft wood and hard wood timber and they
protect the watersheds of the most of rivers. In Sindh 320,000
hectares come under riveraine or non irrigated forests. The Sindh
'forests and inland plantation represent about 2.3% of total land area
and 5.93% of irrigated area’. |
