History of Forest Management in Pakistan-I
History of Forest Management in Pakistan-I
Ghaus Mohammad Khattak
ABSTRACT
The management of Chir pine forests was first initiated towards 1900 under selection fellings. Since 1915 in the Punjab and 1923 in the forests now included in the North West Frontier Province, the commercially exploitable forests growing on moderately steep slopes have been managed under the uniform system. Till 1927 the forests were worked under the standard uniform system: rotation 100 years regeneration period 25 years, allotment of compartments to four periodic blocks, and calculation of the prescribed final annual yield by Cotta's formula. Since then, the Punjab shelterwood system has been adopted and the most common pattern of management comprises a rotation of 120 years, a regeneration period of 30 years, allotment of compartments to four periodic blocks, and exclusion of increment from yield calculation. The recommended order of fellings in the P.B.I. may not be indicated in the working plan. The Divisional Forest Officer is expected to prepare a three years programme of felling each year and get it approved by his conservator or chief conservator. The permissible deviation is generally 10%. The intermediate yields are usually prescribed by area and their volume estimated from past experience. Adequately stocked Reserved Forests growing on steep slopes vulnerable to soil erosion, and the guzara forests, are worked under the modified selection system. Felling of trees of exploitable size is further restricted in the guzara forests by special marking rules. The final yield is usually calculated by dividing the volume of trees of exploitable size (24 inches d.b.h. and over) by the
assumed time of passage of trees of 20-40 inch d.b.h. class to the exploitable size. An additional cut may be applied on the calculated yield from the guzara forests. Inadequately stocked forests which cannot be worked profitably are relegated to the protection
working circle. Only dead, dying and diseased trees may be removed from these areas or thinnings carried out in congested crops.
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June 1976
Vol. 26, Iss. 2
