Silvicultural Characteristics of Forest Species
SILVICULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DALBERGIA SISSOO:
Common name:
- Shisham, Tahli, rosewood
Description:
- Medium to large size deciduous tree
- Height 30m
- Branches Spreading and diameter of 3m recorded
- Trunk: crooked
- Leaves compound with 3-5 leaflets
- The bark is gray; in older trees bark may peel off in strips
- Flowers in groups and are of small size
- Flower color dull white, yellowish white to pinkish
- Flowers appear in March to May
- Pods/ Fruits small ripen from June to February
- 1 – 4 seeds in each pod
Distribution:
- Native to Sub-continent along the sub-Himalayan tract
- Common in river banks and streams
- Successfully planted
Habitat and Ecology:
- An important tree
- Occurs in a dry sub-tropical, dry temperate climate
- Well-drained sandy loamy soil but tolerate saline soil
- Occurs at an elevation range of 900 – 1500 m
- Precipitation b/w 300 – 2000 mm (ie 12in = 18 inches)
- Frost hardy
- Has a temperature range of 0 – 50 OC
- Intolerant, susceptible to root diseases in IPs
- Young trees heavily grazed and browsed
Reproduction:
- Both by seed and vegetatively
- Vegetatively by Stumps (ie root and shoot cuttings), by root suckers, etc
Productivity:
- In IPs, a height of 11m and dia of 20 cm recorded during 15 years period
- Mean annual increment MAI is 7.7 m3/ha/yr
Management Implications:
- Under irrigation, it is grown extensively in Punjab, NWFP, and parts of Sindh
- Leguminous therefore good for farm forestry
- Grow slow than Eucalyptus and Poplar
- Good shade tree
Wood Properties:
- Grains: interlocked and coarse texture
- Color: Sapwood white to pale brown
- Heartwood: golden brown to dark brown
- Density: Heavy with Specific Gravity of 0.85and caloric value of 5000 Kcal/g
- Strength: Hard and strong
Uses:
- Fodder, Furniture, Fruits, and Charcoals
- Medicinal root and barks
- Railway carriage
- Sports goods and farm implements
- Shade
SILVICULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CEDRUS DEODARA:
Common name:
- Deodar, Diar
Description:
- Large evergreen tree 45 – 60 m tall with dia of 0.8 – 1.1m
- Crown extends with branches forming conical shape
- Leaves are three sided, needles 205 – 4 cm long
- Needles occur in groups
- Bark grayish or reddish brown
- Monoecious
- Male flower solitary on the end of branches, small in size
- Female flower erect along the top of branches 10 -15cm long, large than male
- Fruit is female cone
- Blue green when young
- Cones bloom b/w June and September
- On ripening cone turn brown
- Seed take one year for maturity and 2 years to complete reproductive cycle
- Seed shed in November
Distribution:
- Native to Himalayas of Sub-continents
- In Pakistan, found at high elevations, in AJK, Murree hills, Hazara, Swat, Dir, Chitral (Keem ja Soo!!)
Habit and Ecology:
- Tolerant tree grow freely well in shade
- Grows on verity of deep rich soils
- Growth is poor on rocky soils
- Grow on steep, cool, northern exposures
- Adopted to precipitation zone from 1000 – 2000cm (ie 40in – 80inches)
- Temperature range form -20OC t0 30 OC
- Elevation 1200 – 3000m
- Susceptible to wood rotting fungi
Reproduction:
- Produced from seed
Production:
- Slow growing: MAI = 6 – 9 m3/ha/yr
Management Implementation:
- Valuable member of Conifers
- High demand result in over cutting
- Harvesting should be curtailed until regeneration method have been perfected
Wood Properties:
- Grain: Straight, even, fine textured
- Color: White
- Density: SG = 0.57 with caloric value of 5400 Kcal/gm
- Strength: light and soft
Uses:
- Construction
- Fuel
- Railway sleepers
- Watershed protection
- Medicinal
SILVICULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PINUS ROXBURGHII:
Common name :
- Chir pine , Nakhtar
Description:
- Large evergreen tree
- Height 21 – 33m
- Diameter of 0.6m recorded
- Needle in threes, 20 – 30 cm long
- Monoecious
- Male flowers or cones crowded in clusters 1.3 to 1.8 cm long
- Female flowers or cones are erect solitary with 2 – 5 clusters at the end of branch
- Cones bloom b/w January to April.
- Fruit is a female cone.
- On ripening turn to shiny reddish
- Seed takes one year to maturity and 2 years to complete reproductive cycle.
- Seed shed September to October.
Distribution:
- Native to Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, and India
- In Pakistan, it is found in Himalayas, AJK, Murree, and Orakzai agencies.
- Successfully planted in northern areas of Punjab
- Large plantations are raised in Mansehra, Abbottabad, and Balakot.
Habitat and Ecology:
- The intolerant tree that grows on a variety of soils from shallow to limestone, granite, and sandstone.
- Occurs in humid, sub-humid, cool, moderately monsoon climate.
- Well-drained sandy loamy soil but tolerate saline soil
- Occurs at an elevation range of 500 – 2500 m
- Drought hard, therefore, well adopted to the precipitation zone of b/w 450– 1645 mm (ie 18in = 65 inches)
- Frost hardy and Fire resistant
- Has a temperature range of -5 – 40 OC
- Free of diseases and insects.
Reproduction:
- Both by seed
Productivity:
- Fast growing
- Mean annual increment MAI is 7 – 14 m3/ha/yr
Management Implications:
- Valuable for reforestation and afforestation
- Nature stands have been heavily overcut and will need to be replanted and protected.
Wood Properties:
- Grains: straight or spiral, medium form and uneven textured
- Color: Sapwood white
- Heart wood: light red turning to reddish or yellowish brown
- Density: Heavy with Specific Gravity of 0.6and caloric value of 5015 Kcal/g
- Strength: Hard and heavy
Uses:
- Construction
- Fuel
- Resin
- Sleepers
- Edible seeds
- Furniture, matchsticks
- Tar, etc.
SILVICULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PINUS WALLICHIANA:
Common name
- Kail, Blue pine
Description:
- Large evergreen tree
- Height 30 – 45m
- The diameter of 1 – 1.5m recorded
- Crown conical
- Needle are five, 10 – 20 cm long
- Bole straight erect
- Monoecious
- Male flowers or cones crowded in clusters 1 cm long
- Female flowers or cones are erect solitary with 2 – 3 clusters at the end of the branch
- Cones bloom b/w April and June
- Fruit is female cone which is 15 – 20cm long
- On ripening turn to shiny reddish
- Seeds take one year to maturity and 2 years to complete reproductive cycle.
- Seed shed September to October.
Distribution:
- Native to Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, India and Afghanistan
- Two varieties, wallichiana, and karakrona found in Pakistan.
- Wallichiana in Moist Temperate
- Karakrona in Dry Temperate
Habitat and Ecology:
- A moderately intolerant tree that grows on a variety of soils best on fertile, well-drained, sandy-clayey to sandy clayey loam.
- Occurs in humid cool temperate, moderately cool temperate climate.
- Occurs at an elevation range of 1200 – 3700 m
- Precipitation zone of b/w 300– 1500 mm (ie 12in = 60 inches)
- Temperature range of -20 – 35 OC
Reproduction:
- Both by seed
Productivity:
- Mean annual increment MAI is 5 – 8 m3/ha/yr
Management Implications:
- Valuable for reforestation and afforestation
- Nature stands have been heavily overcut and will need to be replanted and protected.
Wood Properties:
- Grains: straight or spiral, medium fine and textured
- Color: Sapwood white
- Heartwood: pink
- Density: Heavy with Specific Gravity of 0.48and caloric value of 4995 Kcal/g
- Strength: Moderately hard
Uses:
- Construction
- Fuel
- Sleepers
- Wood products
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Naeem Javid Muhammad Hassani is working as Conservator of Forests in Balochistan Forest & Wildlife Department (BFWD). He is the CEO of Tech Urdu (techurdu.net) Forestrypedia (forestrypedia.com), All Pak Notifications (allpaknotifications.com), Essayspedia, etc & their YouTube Channels). He is an Environmentalist, Blogger, YouTuber, Developer & Vlogger.