Biodiversity Profile of Afghanistan - Disasters and Conflicts - UNEP
Biodiversity Profile of Afghanistan - Disasters and Conflicts - UNEP
Biodiversity Profile of Afghanistan - Disasters and Conflicts - UNEP
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Although increasingly under threat from illegal logging, large tracts <strong>of</strong> natural conifer forest can still be found in the inaccessible Nuristan<br />
Province, Eastern <strong>Afghanistan</strong><br />
is. higher. here. than. elsewhere. in. <strong>Afghanistan</strong>,. is.<br />
more.evenly.distributed.throughout.the.year,.<strong>and</strong>.<br />
is.less.erratic.between.years..<br />
Between.2,100.<strong>and</strong>.2,500.m.elevation,.Quercus<br />
baloot. grades. into. Pinus gerardiana. (Chilgoza.<br />
pine).st<strong>and</strong>s..In.natural.forests,.shrubs.are.a.minor.<br />
component.<strong>of</strong>.this.community,.but.develop.quickly.<br />
when. trees. are. cut.. Between. 2,500. <strong>and</strong>. 3,100.<br />
m,. Cedrus deodara. (Deodar. cedar). begins. to.<br />
dominate..This.is.the.most.economically.important.<br />
forest.type.in.<strong>Afghanistan</strong>.with.trees.6.–.35.m.in.<br />
height.<strong>and</strong>.a.ground.cover.<strong>of</strong>.up.to.80%..In.very.<br />
moist.areas.(>800.mm),.Picea smithiana.(Himalayan.<br />
spruce). <strong>and</strong>. Abies webbiana. (Himalayan. fir).<br />
dominate.up.to.2,900.–.3,000.m..The.trees.are.15.<br />
–.30.m.tall.<strong>and</strong>.create.a.dense,.closed.forest..In.<br />
drier.areas,.Juniperus species.are.evident.<br />
East Afghan Montane Conifer Forests.are.currently.<br />
being.illegally.harvested.at.a.rapid.rate..Analyses.<br />
by. <strong>UNEP</strong>. (2003a). show. that. between. 1977. <strong>and</strong>.<br />
2002.52%.<strong>of</strong>.the.existing.forest.was.lost.in.three.<br />
for Global Environment Management (NCSA) for <strong>Afghanistan</strong><br />
provinces..Nangarhar.was.the.most.affected,.with.<br />
a.71%.decrease.in.forest.cover..Nuristan.lost.53%.<br />
<strong>and</strong>.Kunar.29%..Similar.losses.for.the.other.Paktya,.<br />
Khost.<strong>and</strong>.Paktika.were.predicted..Deodar.cedar.<br />
is.the.primary.species.harvested.<br />
8.1.2 Baluchistan Xeric Woodl<strong>and</strong>s<br />
(PA1307)<br />
Freitag. (1972). terms. this. type. the. Evergreen<br />
Sclerophyllous Forests <strong>and</strong> Woodl<strong>and</strong>s community.<br />
(sclerophyllous:. small,. leathery. leaves).. Sayer.<br />
<strong>and</strong>.Van.der.Zon.(1981).refer.to.it.as.Himalayan<br />
Deciduous Forest..The.eco-region.is.located.along.<br />
the.Pakistan.border.in.Laghman,.Nuristan,.Kunar,.<br />
Khost.<strong>and</strong>.Paktika.Provinces..It.is.well.represented.<br />
in.neighbouring.Pakistan..Freitag.(1972).suggests.<br />
that.much.<strong>of</strong>.<strong>Afghanistan</strong>.would.be.dominated.by.<br />
this.forest.type.if.the.summer.dry.period.lasted.for.<br />
3.–.4.months.rather.than.5.–.7.months..In.eastern.<br />
<strong>Afghanistan</strong>,.the.summer.monsoon.rains.break.the.<br />
long.summer.dry.period.just.long.enough.to.allow.<br />
these.forests.to.develop..Petocz.<strong>and</strong>.Larsson.(1977).<br />
21
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