Cause Of Deforestation In Pakistan

DEFORESTATION

SYNOPSIS

The purpose of this report is to highlight issue of deforestation and systematically identify its underlying causes by incorporating the views of all stakeholders’ forestry sector experts and policy makes from the federal provincial and local much. The main cause of deforestation are mounting population pressure dependence of urban and rural household of fuelwood, suppression of forest management in natural forest unscientific grazing beyond carrying capacity flood fires and storms inadequate financial input and stakeholder lack of involvement in the process of policy making. The activities of the timber mafia and lack of political will on the part of the government to bring them to book have further aggravated the

CAUSES OF DEFORESTATION

Pakistan is a forest deficient country. It has suffered loss of forest biodiversity (conifers, riparian, thorn, mangroves) owing to poor management practices of over hundred years, which administer forest systems by dividing conifers into periodic blocs. Policy makers gave preference to certain species on the basis of commercial interests. They ignore taxonomy and follow no scientific procedures. All these practices have led to fragmentary ecosystems and brought some species to the verge of extinction.

The underlying causes of deforestation, identified are as follows:

 There is a wide gap in the production and consumption of wood. In 1993, the consumption of wood was 29.5 million cubic meters whereas in the year 2018 it is projected to go up by 52.6 million cubic meters. At present, Pakistan is producing only 14 million cubic meter of wood. By 2020, it will require 50 million cubic meter of wood in order to cater to demands of the people. This wide gap in the production and consumption of wood is one of the main factors of

Each village community has its own (exclusive) land use principles, which are often in conflict with other stakeholder 's views. Under VLUP all communities settle their disputes by coming to terms with each other. This consensus building process involves identification of units for land use and finalization of management plans. It calls for strengthening civil society at different levels as genuine requirement for the success of the process.

Farm Forestry is another approach and it targets the poor and disadvantaged groups through the involvement of local CBOs and NGOs in NWFP. It was launched to check increased pressure on the resources leading toward reduced vegetation cover and fertility. This participatory and holistic approach is a paradigm shift, which focuses on areas of plantation, has low opportunity cost and higher return and aims at poverty reduction through encouraging enterprise. It ensures sustainability by creating skills enhancement and ownership, systematic planning and management of the resources. If management plans are worked out properly, it holds out greater opportunities for diversification and maximization of profits and leads to sustainable livelihood and positive impact on local biodiversity and water