DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

BSES-III

SUBMITTED BY:

 ZARA KHALID

 TAYYABA RIZWAN

 RABIA SHAFQAT

SUBMITTED TO:
MA’AM RABIA SHEHZADI

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 CONIFEROUS FOREST MANAGEMENT

INTRODUCTION:
Coniferous forest’s vegetation is composed primarily of cone-bearing needle-leaved or scale-
leaved evergreen trees, found in areas that have long winters and moderate to high annual
precipitation. The northern Eurasian coniferous forest is called the taiga, or the boreal forest.
Both terms are used to describe the entire circumpolar coniferous forest with its many lakes,
bogs, and rivers.

In addition to the shelter and food they provide for wildlife, conifers play an important role
globally by sequestering carbon. Coniferous forests take three times more carbon out of the air
than temperate or tropical forests.

Coniferous forests also cover mountains in many parts of the world. Pines, spruces, firs, and
larches are the dominant trees in coniferous forests. They are similar in shape and height and
often form a nearly uniform stand with a layer of low shrubs or herbs beneath. Mosses,
liverworts, and lichens cover the forest floor.

In general, coniferous forests are categorized as boreal/taiga, mountain, temperate evergreen,

temperate pine, or Southern Hemisphere forests.

HISTORY OF CONIFEROUS FORESTS:

The first forests evolved from club mosses, ferns, and other prehistoric plants, which, over time,
adapted to the surrounding environment, and grew more treelike. Trees that preferred a warm,
humid, tropical climate developed first, followed by those that gradually adapted to drier,
cooler weather. Coniferous forests flourished during the Jurassic Period, about 160 million
years ago.

Almost all coniferous trees, such as pines and firs, bear their seeds inside cones. Most also have
stiff, flattened or needlelike leaves that usually remain green all winter.

Coniferous forests are found in Asia, primarily in Siberia, China, Korea, and Japan, and on the
slopes of the Himalaya and Hindu Kush Mountains. In Europe, they cover much of Scandinavia
and the coast of the Baltic Sea and are found on the primary mountain. In North America,
coniferous forests stretch across the northern part of the continent from Alaska to
Newfoundland; down into Washington, Oregon, and California; and along the Cascades, the
Sierra Nevadas, and the Rocky Mountains. In the Southern Hemisphere, they are found in
Mexico, along the western coast of South America, in parts of Argentina and Brazil, in parts of
the Australasia region, and in portions of Africa.

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BACKGROUND OF CONIFEROUS FORESTS IN PAKISTAN:
The coniferous forests occur from 1,000 to 4,000 m altitudes. Chitral, Swat, Upper Dir, Lower
Dir, Malakand, Mansehra and Abbottabad districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir and
Rawalpindi district of the Punjab are the main areas covered with coniferous forests. Pindrow
Fir (Abies pindrow), Morinda spruce (Picea smithiana), deodar (Cedrus deodara), blue pine
(Pinus wallichiana), chir pine (Pinus roxburghii) are the most common varieties.

The Coniferous forests also occur in Balochistan hills. Chilghoza pine (Pinus gerardiana) and
juniper (Juniperous macropoda) are the two most common species of Balochistan.

Coniferous forests are located mainly in NWFP, AJK, Northern Areas (NAs), Balochistan and
northern Punjab. Open and scattered stands of juniper and blue pine forests are found in
Balochistan Province. Besides providing construction timber, their role in protecting land and
soil on steep mountain slopes, supply of fuel wood and NWFPs. These forests covered an area
of 1.913 million ha in 1992.

PARAMETER PAKISTAN ASIA WORLD

Total forest area in 2000 (000 ha) 2361 504,180 3,869,455

Natural forest area in 2000 (000 ha) 1381 375,824 3,682,722

Plantations area in 2000 (000 ha) 980 110,953 186,733

Total dry land area in 1981 (000 ha) 72524 1,078,121 5,059,984
Percentage of forest ~1.97% ~22% ~29%

PROBLEM STATEMENT:
Human activity has had disastrous effects on this biome. Activities like Poaching have interrupted the
natural food chain in coniferous forests leading to many species becoming endangered. Human activity
has also destroyed the affected the forest’s primary productivity.

It’s been surveyed that one acre of trees is being removed every 12.9 seconds. Logging has caused a
decrease in this forest’s productivity as well. Clear-cut logging is the biggest threat of all to coniferous
forests. Clear-cutting accelerates soil erosion, destroys wildlife habitat and leads to the loss of
biodiversity

Furthermore negative impacts brought on by environment such as forest fires, snow damage etc. can be
reduced or prevented through proper maintenance and monitoring.

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OBJECTIVES:
 To reduce fire risk, through deadwood removal and prohibition of burning of waste in
forest
 To promote recreational and touristic activities
 To provide a list of “good practices” on forest management options for the conversion
of degraded coniferous forests suited for conserving and enhancing carbon stocks,
increase carbon sequestration, and contain greenhouse gas emissions
 To increase carbon accumulation in soil, thus increasing sequestration capacity in the
long term, enlarging the pool of stable soil organic matter and its chemical-physical
stability
 To restore the ecological stability and enhance resistance and resilience of the target
ecosystems. A more resistant and resilient ecosystem has a higher capacity to act as a C
sink in the long term, maintaining other ecosystem services including biodiversity, soil
protection and recreation.

PAKISTAN FOREST POLICY:

Policy framework: In the past, forest policy has been a part of the National Agriculture Policy. This policy
seeks to launch a process for eliminating the fundamental causes of the depletion of renewable natural
resources (RNR) through the participation of all agencies and stakeholders, to enable conservation,
development and sustainable use of RNR.

The policy encourages non-timber uses of forests in line with sustainable forest management principles.

1. Provinces shall allocate a significant portion of National Finance Commission Award to

achieve the objectives of this Policy, particularly protection and expansion of forests
2. Revenue generation should not be the motivation for Forest management
3. Sustainable management of the natural resources through active partnership with
communities and various stakeholders for goods and services to support livelihood
systems of communities
4. Animals and birds that are unique in their biodiversity and face threats for their
extinction need to be conserved through a well-managed protected area system and
legislation
5. Promotion/encouragement to NGOs and other awareness organizations to educate the
public and create public awareness for environmental improvement in order to save
coniferous forests. Federally-sponsored program shall be regularly monitored and forest
cover shall be assessed periodically by independent Third Party monitors.
6. Government shall promote inter-provincial, inter-ministerial and inter-sectorial
cooperation for assessing impacts of forests on human health and for reducing
associated costs by cooperative policies and actions

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 7. Prohibit improper disposal of waste in water bodies nearby forests.
8. Strengthening existing institutions in Natural Resource Management (NRM), particularly
in participatory NRM, and encouraging private sector participation in forestry through
establishment of multi-stakeholder forums at various levels
9. Urban forestry should be practiced in big cities and towns in order to reduce pollution
existing due to the Industrial sector
10. Forest users and protection associations: Responding to forest damage, in particular in
communal forests, a number of volunteer forest protection organizations have been
formed and are operational. In different Eco regions and forest types, their roles and
responsibilities differ widely, depending on the need (e.g. forest fires, theft and illegal
logging). The cooperation of local forest staff should exist for effectiveness.
11. Overexploitation of forests for fuel wood, timber, grazing of livestock and NWFPs due to
imbalance in the demand and the production capacity of forests as well as without
investing in and ensuring regeneration should be prohibited via law enforcement
12. Facilitating and harmonizing inter-provincial movement, trade and commerce of wood
and non-wood forest products through the Federal Forestry Board
13. Implementing a national level mass afforestation program to expand and maintain
optimum forest cover. National organizations including Pakistan Railway, National
Highway Authority, WAPDA, and Armed Forces shall prepare, sponsor and implement a
long-term mass afforestation program on federal lands in their jurisdiction
14. Promoting standardized and harmonized scientific forest planning, research and
education including for community-based management.
15. Conversion of forests (even on steep hill slopes) into agricultural lands: unplanned
developments, especially for housing and communication infrastructure should be
discouraged
16. Tribal communities that settle in forests or on the outskirts will need ownership rights
and permits to do so provided they abide by the forest protection laws
17. Inter-linking natural forests, protected areas, wetlands and wildlife habitats to reduce
fragmentation.

RESTORATION OF CONIFEROUS FORESTS:

Tropical and subtropical coniferous forests are found in areas with tropical latitudes, making
their climates more humid. Boreal forest (taiga) is a forest biome that spans from Siberia to
Canada, and has extremely cold winters, with summers ranging from mild to extremely hot as a
result the forest can be subjected to damage from extreme dry and hot weather leading to
forest fires in the summer and damage from snow and ice in the winters.

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RECOVERY FROM FOREST FIRES:

The ability of some Western conifer forests to recover after severe fire may become
increasingly limited if the climate continues to warm. Although most of these cone-bearing
evergreen trees are well adapted to fire, studies examines whether two likely facets of climate
change; hotter, drier conditions and larger, more frequent and severe wildfires could
potentially transform landscapes from forested to shrub-dominated systems

After fire, hardwood trees and shrubs are observed to be quickly established by either re-
sprouting from surviving root systems or growing rapidly from seeds that persisted in the soil.
These plants dominate the vegetation for at least the first few decades after fire. Most conifers,
on the other hand, are slow to compete, relying on establishment of new seedlings borne by
trees in less severely burned patches or from outside the fire perimeter. As most conifers
depend on seed dispersal from surviving trees, larger patches of high-severity fire could put a
growing portion of the landscape at risk of poor post-fire conifer regeneration

To prevent and control such an issue the EPA (Environmental protection agency) strictly
prohibits the burning of grass/hay as well as wastes nearby coniferous or any other forest. This
rule is supposed to be implemented by law enforcement and other local authorities.

Also Pakistan’s Forest policy emphasizes on mass afforestation programs i.e. implementing a
national level mass afforestation program to expand and maintain optimum forest cover.

Pakistan policies regarding afforestation:

 National organizations including Pakistan Railway, National Highway Authority, WAPDA,
and Armed Forces shall prepare, sponsor and implement a long-term mass afforestation
program on federal lands in their jurisdiction
 Federal Government shall sponsor mass afforestation programs in FATA, Gilgit-Baltistan
that may be implemented by concerned Forest Departments, concerned line
departments and community based organizations
 Federal and Provincial Governments shall support local government in implementation
of their respective afforestation and forest protection programs and projects including
urban forestry initiatives

RECOVERY FROM SNOW/ICE DAMAGE:

The snow-load on thick pines tends to concentrate on the crown, and its weight can cause the
trunk to snap. Pine stems are especially liable to snapping in very cold temperatures. It is
important that conifer trees not be topped otherwise the pin structure of the tree will alter and
as a result the tree might collapse. In smaller regions certified tree care professionals sweep the

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 snow allowing the recovery of various shrubs and smaller conifer trees. If trees fall from the
weight of snow, cover the exposed roots and prevent them from freezing and dying. Once snow
melts, these trees can be established again and most shrubs damaged by snow and ice can be
severely pruned if necessary.

MAINTAINING CONIFEROUS FORESTS:

STRATEGY IMPACT PLANNING TARGET GROUP ORGANIZATION OUTCOME

Maintain a This concept Setting Government Department of Such a strategy

stable forest embraces management sector of environment and ensures the
land base. strong objectives forestry natural resources soil
sustainability (DENR) productivity
and stresses Zoning/stratif and fertility for
the fact that ying forests Forest wildlife & a long time
goods and for monitoring fisheries dept. and allows the
services forest trees to
provided by Approval of bear negative
forests are forest environmental
irreplaceable. management impacts
plan by forest
authority

Preliminary
and forest
resource
assessment
Maintain or This sustains Data Protective wild Punjab forest This allows a
increase forest diverse collection on life organizations department variety of
biodiversity. populations biophysical animal and
Special of native information of Minors at local Punjab wildlife & plant species
emphasis is plants and forest level parks department to exist in a
given to animals, forest
restoring diversity of Forming Law FWF increasing its
species and forest boundary enforcement recreational
habitats that ecosystems around areas EPA value in turn
are threatened and habitats with Academic increasing
with extinction across the endangered institutions economic
and controlling landscape, species and value
invasive and genetic provide
species. diversity of conditions Poaching will
forest that allow be prohibited

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 associated them to breed via law
plants and and survive enforcement
animals
Include
wildlife govt.
sectors to
segregate
animal species
unable to
resist climatic
change
Maintain or Altering of Use influence Government Provincial forest Commercial
increase forest- forest of media and sector service forest
based structure and academic operations are
employment composition institutions to NGO organizations economical
and community can be done promote fields at local & hence they can
stability. by like international level commence
Encourage commercial environmental without major
commercial forest science or just funding.
forest operations. launch EPA Invasive and
operations. Habitat messages mitigation
restoration through species are
occurs as a media to found
result of increase frequently
which awareness &
biodiversity in people
all species participation
exists in protection
of forests

Appeal for
funds to
develop and
improve
environmental
sectors in the
country as a
result of which
employment
positions will
increase as
well

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Maintain or This will result Measures for Env. Department of Forest based
enhance the in increase of biodiversity organizations forests, parks and tourism
quantity and tourist and conservation recreation provides an
quality of recreational and increasing Government important
forest activities. maintenance sector Pakistan tourism economic
recreation and Increased and leisure development benefit sector
other exposure can activities in Youth programs corporation that interests
opportunities encourage forests entrepreneurs
for people to contributions recreational NGOs
experience from various and tourist Exposure of
forests. organizations activities can the forest and
and funds for increase. it’s benefits as
forest’s well as
maintenance Establishing a aesthetic
proper appeal can
pathway in encourage
forest. organizations
to fund for its
Marking conservation
certain and
boundaries maintenance
indicating
denser regions It also leads to
& establishing increase in the
small routes rural or urban
back towards region where
populated the forest
regions exists

Building a
snack shop
beside the
path formed

Linear lighting
along the
pathway at
night time
Maintain or Increase in Trees planted Government Soil science Maintenance
increase soil wildlife near sectors society of Pakistan of soil
productivity habitat and agricultural productivity
and minimize biodiversity is land offer Villagers and Agriculture leads to
soil erosion and significant. many Tribal people department sustainable
contamination. Forest will be environmental forest

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 more benefits: they management.
susceptible to provide simile, Pakistan forest
regeneration, reduce department Such measures
survival and erosion, will prevent
long term increase soil excessive land
growth fertility, lower sliding in
water tables, mountainous
lessen the regions
risks of
salinization, Increased
and help timber yield
stabilize water and forest
supplies. coverage can
be obtained
Agroforestry
systems Maintained
improve soil water table
fertility and
reduce soil
erosion.
Increase Awareness Promoting Academic NGOs Increased
environmental regarding the NGOs through institutions interest in the
literacy and importance of social media & Department of field will allow
engage protection of encouraging Non govt. forestry several people
a wide range of forests results them to organizations to take
stakeholders in in people collaborate initiatives in
sustainable abiding by the with the Govt. sector EPA protection and
forest forest laws as government conservation
management well as their sector and of the forests.
participation academic This can only
and institutions be achieved if
contributions information is
to the forest accurately
projects. spread
Maintain or Forest system Forest owners Minors Ministry of water Due to
increase the helps absorb may be able resources incentives
quality and rainfall & thus to obtain Govt. sectors presented,
quantity of prevents payments EPA (Environment forest owners
water from erosion & from protection agency) and associated
forest flooding. downstream people will
ecosystems. Appropriate inhabitants Pakistan actively
quantity is and industries department of participate in
required to for the service forest the
avoid over they provide maintenance

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 flooding. If in protecting WAPDA (Dam necessary of
water is water sector) water bodies.
contaminated catchments. As a result
it depletes This is a Coniferous
soil quality potential forests will
and “payment for serve as
negatively environmental buffers of
impacts services” (PES) harsh rain or
vegetation snow. This
Planting results in less
plenty trees habitat loss as
along shore of well as
water body as prevents soil
buffers from over
saturating
Maintain
height of
water table

Monitoring
volume of
precipitation,
If increased
then plant
more trees, if
decreases
excessively,
navigate
irrigation
channel
temporarily

Maintain or This allows For home Local people Forest, wildlife Timber
increase the prevention of construction and fisheries dept. harvesting will
capacity for excessive and Govt. sector decrease and
sustained yield timber remodeling EPA as a result
of timber and harvesting projects, Law
non-timber and encourage enforcement Logging (a
forest products encourages industries with major issue
and associated alternative incentives to contributing to
economic wood uses employ Plastic the depletion
development. wood, of coniferous
bamboo, forests) will
wood reduce with

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 composites help of law
enforcement if
Predicting the necessary
future growth
and yield of
your forest
stand(s) is an
essential part
of the
planning
process for
your forest
land

RECOMMENDATIONS:
 It is important that Pakistan environmental protection department ensure law
implementations regarding prohibition of poaching and logging. Poaching and logging
should be emphasized as criminal offenses to ensure their ban.
 The Government needs to adjust a stable financial budget required for the forest sector
 New technologies and methods should be put to use
 Encourage academic institutions to include importance of such sectors of the
environment in every field to raise awareness regarding the scenario
 It is important that at local level, law enforcement encourage civilians to take part in the
protection and conservation of their forests

REFERENCES:
 http://www.fao.org/3/XII/0708-A1.htm
 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/forests/special_issues/expanding_forests
 http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/Extension/florida_forestry_information/forest_management/growth_a
nd_yield.html
 http://www.fao.org/3/u5620e/U5620E05.htm
 http://www.fefr.org/files/attachments/publications/ir_07.pdf
 http://www.ncrcd.org/files/7013/5941/0581/RESTORING-MIXED-CONIFER-FORESTS.pdf
 http://www.borealforest.org/world/innova/fire_prevention.htm
 http://www.fao.org/3/w8212e/w8212e07.htm
 https://www.americanforests.org/blog/conifers-under-threat/
 http://biomesbylenhardt.pbworks.com/w/page/14810909/Coniferous%20Forest%20People%20
and%20Their%20Adaptations

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