Causes of deforestation and climatic changes in Dir Kohistan

Abstract

Pakistan is on 2nd position among those countries, where deforestation rate is very high. The current work is design to highlight the facts, real causes and impacts of deforestation and forest degradation in “Dir Kohistan” of K.P.K Pakistan, by incorporating the view of local people through a questionnaire. According to this survey about 83% of the local people are dependent on these forests and contribute to deforestation in one of different ways regardless of any rule regulation. The current study shows that the extensive deforestation in the mention area occurs for household needs (cooking, furniture, heating, earning etc). Another growing cause is the cutting of these forests for livestock purposes. Along this the nonscientific grazing is a key point in the deforestation. Unemployment and poverty is another attractive factor in the degradation of these forests. However the role of black marketing and role of stake holders on these forests should not be neglected in deforestation. Meanwhile the ineffective management and ignorance of the forest department is one of the major contributing factors in deforestation. This study also highlights the climatic changes in Dir Kohistan, since 1983 to 2012. The climatic data of mention area assimilated through survey, online source and meteorological station. The climatic data show that there is increase in temperature (0.33°C), decrease in rainfall (148.2mm) and humidity (1.4%). The underlying causes of deforestation in “Dir Kohistan” need the attention of government authority to resolve these causes, implementing strong rules regulations in order to mitigate the climatic changes and save this ecosystem.

Keywords: Forest, Deforestation, Causes, Climate changes, Dir Kohistan