Pakistan Forest Institute
Peshawar, Pakistan

Forest Mensuration Branch

The Forest Mensuration Branch was established in 1969. Its principal research functions are determination of growth statistics of forests and plantations and preparation of volume and yield tables for commercially important timber species. It consists of a Forest Mensuration Officer, three Forest Rangers, two Foresters/Field Assistants. The major functions of this branch are listed below:

  • Preparation of volume tables of different tree species.
  • Preparation of yield tables of different tree crops.
  • Preparation of ready reckoners
  • Teaching forest mensuration, statistics and mathematics to forestry classes.

    • Significant achievements:

  • Volume tables: Volume tables are essential for determination of accurate volume contents of trees of different dimensions of various species. The volume tables help in evaluation of growing stock of forests and plantations. Volume tables of all important coniferous and broad leaved species have been prepared by regression and correlation analysis techniques in both British and metric units of measurements. These volume tables have been published as publications of PFI, Peshawar and distributed among field officers for use in their practical forestry works.
  • Yield tables: The tables are pre-requisite for planning and management of the forests. Preparation of yield tables of forest tree species is a lengthy procedure and requires repeated measurements of the growth of tree plots at regular intervals. Up till now interim yield tables of Shisham, E. camaldulensis and Hybrid poplar and final yield tables of chir and Kail have been prepared.
  • Mnagement studies: Forest Management studies of thinning, pruning and spacing of Chir pine, Shisham, Poplar and Eucalyptus camaldulensis have been carried out at different localities. Results of Eucalyptus camaldulensis thinning study at Bahawalpur were published.
  • Ready reckoners: Ready reckoners for use in forestry practices have been prepared for forest departments, wood-based industries, timber traders and other departments.

    • Forestry inventory: Forest inventory sampling procedures for inventory of the forests were developed along with the electronic data processing (EDP) procedures on personal computer for processing inventory data. A comprehensive report giving detailed description of the inventory procedures including data processing and presentation of the results has been published.