Micro-level Study of Deforestation in Capital Territory of Pakistan

Abstract

Wood products are better than artificial material, products when evaluating with environmental concerns, but our world's forests cannot be compromised for these products. As increasing demand for wood product leads to deforestation, more rapid tree cutting even without permits and cause threat to human health and wildlife. The current study estimates the percentage of wood cutting and gives a comparison of green cover for a period (2009-2016) in Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP), Islamabad. Scale and aftermath of wood harvesting is a major area of concern. The wood consumption by villagers of MHNP, the role of authorities and communities to safeguard MHNP and its effects are also studied by incorporating villagers and forest guards’ point of view through questionnaire and interviews respectively. Forest cover of MHNP is reduced at high percentage due to deforestation and different land use pattern. It needs to be monitored and taken as the responsibility of government and public to protect forests.

Keywords: encapsulation of biodiversity, villagers’ particulars, forest guards’ particulars, responses