The activities of forest genetic resources conservation should be based upon the following three objectives for the benefit of the people:
• Conservation efforts to meet the demand for timber for house construction.
• Conservation and management of fuelwood plantations to ensure sustainable supply of firewood especially in winter.
• Conservation and management of rangelands to ensure constant supply of endangered fodder trees to feed livestock in winter when the grasses are not available.
Numerous protected areas have been established but they still do not represent and cover all forest types. So far, species/stands of high diversity have not been identified except in chir and blue pine forests. Similarly, forest habitats of rare or endangered species have not been conserved due to the weak link between field staff of forestry sector and professionals of FGR. There is also very little coordination between different sectors such as the Food, Agriculture and Livestock Department and wood-based industries.
For example, an industrial woody species, Dalbergia sissoo has been severely attacked by dieback in the recent past, to which no concrete control measures have been developed so far. A few species occurring in riverine areas like Tamarix aphylla and Populus euphratica are excellent species for wood carving and can easily be utilized when the trees are around 10 years age. Populus euphratica is being threatened and needs immediate concrete steps for in situ or ex situ conservation. If a sustainable conservation and utilization effort could be put in place, the socioeconomic conditions of the rural poor could be improved, as Populus euphratica is the best species to develop cottage industry at village level in certain parts of Pakistan. Populus, Morus and Salix are the three important genera suitable for the sports industry largely located in the northeastern part of Pakistan. There is a need for a strong link between production and utilization of these species and the wood industries and managers of FGR to be established at national level.
Similarly, with the collaboration of the Ministry of Education, UNESCO declared Lal Suhanara National Park as a MAB Biosphere Reserve in 1977, which was done without taking into confidence the National Council for Conservation of Wildlife (NCCW), IUCN or WWF. The result was duplication of efforts and wastage of funds. These examples demonstrated the lack of linkages among different but highly related areas in FGR conservation and management. Based upon aforementioned discussion, a list of priority species for conservation, improvement and seed procurement is given in Appendix 4.
