VEGETATION DESCRIPTION OF SOME PINE FORESTS OF SHANGLA DISTRICT OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA PAKISTAN. A PRELIMINARY STUDY.

The vegetation of pine forests of Shangla District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan is described. Thirty stands at different locations were selected in this study. In each stand gymnospermic species were widely distributed and dominated. Sampling was performed by Point Centered Quarter Method (PCQ). Pinus wallichiana exhibited higher density 409 ha-1 with 132.1 m 2 ha-1 basal area occurring in 26 stands. Abies pindrow occurred in 7 stands with density of 384 ha-1 and 145.3 m 2 ha-1 basal area, while Picea smithiana attained low frequency, recorded from 2 sites. It is shown that population of young stands exhibited higher density.