Assessment of deforestation using Diameter size classes distribution of trees in Ganji Valley Himalayan Range of Pakistan

Forest is one of the most important and valuable God gifted natural resource. Globally it has a great importance in regulating the functions of the nature. Forests are called lungs of the Earth because they remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and oxygen is released into it. This study was conducted using Point Centered Quarter method (PCQ) in different stands to investigate the size class structure of forest tree species from Ganji Valley District Skardu Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. Total Six stands were selected from 3345m to 3550m above sea level. The study aims to depict the present status and future trend of the tree species of forest in the study area. Three tree species were observed in the entire forest namely Pinus wallichiana A.B Jackson, Juniperus excels D.Don and Betula utilis M.B. Among them Pinus wallichiana A.B Jackson was found the dominant species in all six stands with the mean density 192.35 stems ha-1. while Juniperus excelsa D.Don was observed as the 2nd co-dominant species with mean density 57.15 stems ha-1. The size class distribution pattern was observed varied in these stands. Most of the disturbances may be explained in terms of anthropogenic disturbances, i.e., grazing, cutting, sliding, burning and other induced factors. Therefore, this forest is not in a stable condition. If the current anthropogenic as well as some natural disturbances are not monitored by taking some solid actions, then this valuable forest will vanish in few decades in future.