Assessing Natural Forest Conservation Using Diameter Size Class Distributions in Pakistan

摘要

Forests of the Naltar Valley in Pakistan are constantly threatened by natural and anthropogenic disturbances. The study examines the natural and human-induced disturbance factors that determine natural forest conservation and management in a dry temperate mountainous region. To better assess anthropogenic disturbance factors, we randomly selected 26 stands of the forest by using the point-centered quarter (PCQ) method of Cottam and Curtis to collect the information about tree species during the summer season between July to September 2015. Results show that there is no ideal size class distribution of tree species noticed in selected sample stands. Gaps in small, middle, large and extra-large classes were observed in different locations representing noticeable natural (i.e., sliding, forest fire, flood, soil erosions, earthquakes) and anthropogenic (i.e., illegal cutting, looping, tapering, burning, and grazing) disturbances. To conserve biodiversity, it is therefore essential to introduce social forestry, preventing illegal anthropogenic activities, and provide alternative livelihood options for the inhabitant to reduce anthropogenic disturbance on these forests. This study would be helpful for exposing the present status and future trends of forest tree species, as well as more awareness about conservation of forests in the region by conducting a similar study in the remaining forested areas in Gilgit-Baltistan.