Land use and land cover change are affecting the global environment and ecosystems of the different biospheres. Monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of these changes is of utmost importance as they often results in several global environmental consequences such as land degradation, mass erosion, habitat deterioration as well as micro and macro climate of the regions. The advance technologies like remote sensing (RS) and geographical information system (GIS) are helpful in determining/ identifying these changes. In the current study area, changes in carbon stocks, notably in forest areas, are resulting in considerable dynamics of carbon stocks as a result of climate change and carbon sequestration. This study was carried out in the Diamer district of the Gilgit Baltistan (GB) Pakistan to investigate the change in cover change/land use change (particularly Forest Land use) as well as carbon sequestration potential of the forests in the district during almost last 25years. The land cover, temporal Landsat data (level 1, LIT) were downloaded from the USGS EROS (2016), for 1979-1989, 1990-2000 and 2001-2012. Change in land uses, particularly forest cover was investigated using GIS techniques. Forest inventory was carried out using random sampling techniques. A standard plot of size 0.1 ha (n=80) was laid out to determine the tree density, volume, biomass and C stocks. Simulation of C stocks was accomplished by application of the CO₂FIX model with the data input from inventory. Results showed a decrease in both forest and snow cover in the region from 1979-2012. Similarly decrease was seen in tree volume, tree Biomass, dynamics of C Stocks and decrease was in occur tree density respectively. It is recommended we need further more like project such as BTAP (Billion Tree Afforestation Project) and green Pakistan project to increase the forest cover, to control on land use change, protect forest ecosystem and to protect snow cover.

An ethnobotanical study was conducted to document indigenous medicinal plants and their usage from knowledgeable and elderly persons in Razzar and Gadoon valley of Swabi and Allai and Tanawal valley of Hazara region of Pakistan during 2016-2019. Several systematic field visits and questionnaire surveys were carried out in selected sites of the study area to gather relevant information from the local community. Rapid assessment method was adopted for data collection by interviewing the local people having enough knowledge of medicinal plants use for treatment of different ailments. UV (UV) formula was applied to calculate the relative importance of medicinal plant species in each site of the study area. In the present study, 221 medicinal plants belonging to 105 families have been reported through 580 respondents (385 males, 138 females and 57 local health healer) from the Swabi and Hazara region. The main sources of herbal medicines were leaves (21%) followed by fruits (21%), seeds (17%), whole plants (14%), roots (9%), bark (9%), flowers (7%) and gum (2%). Mentha spicata L. and Berberis lycium Royle were reported with highest UV (UV) i.e. 0.92 and 0.68 in Razzar tehsil and Gadoon valley of Swabi, whereas Mentha longifolia L and Geranium wallichianum D were reported with highest UV i.e. (0.65) and (0.88) in Allai and Tanawal valley of Hazara region, respectively. It was concluded that Swabi and Hazara region is rich in medicinal plants species and associated traditional knowledge. Moreover, ethno-medicines have played significant role in the indigenous healthcare system of the study area. However, uprooting the entire plant for ethno-medicine is a big threat to conservation of medicinal plants diversity in the study area.

The utilization of remote sensing (RS) techniques plays a crucial role in the efficient planning and monitoring of afforestation projects within constrained timeframes. This study evaluates the progress of the Billion Trees Afforestation Project (BTAP) in Dera Ismail Khan (DIK), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, using RS technology. Geographical positioning systems were employed to delineate the boundaries of the plantation areas, and two temporal Sentinel-2 images from 2016 (the commencement of the plantation) and 2018 were analyzed to calculate the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). The results revealed that the survival rate of plantations varied between 37.39% and 85.15%, while the area of unstocked regions ranged from 14.84% to 62.60%. Overall, in 2016, the survival rate was determined to be 61.28%, with 38.72% of the area remaining unstocked. The NDVI values in 2016 ranged from -1 to -0.43, whereas in 2018, they spanned from -0.43 to 0.80, indicating significant progress in plantation growth and a substantial reduction in unstocked areas. The RS-based assessment proved to be highly effective, suggesting its adoption for the rapid detection and evaluation of plantation efforts. It is recommended to use high-resolution satellite images and drone technology to enhance accuracy further. Additionally, measures such as the establishment of closures, pit sowing, appropriate site and species selection, and effective soil and water conservation techniques are essential to maximizing the survival rate of plantations.

Jatropha curcas (JC), as a biofuel plant, has been reported to have various desired characteristics such as high oil content seeds (27–40%), fast-growth, easy cultivation, drought tolerance, and can be grown on marginal soil and wasteland, requiring fewer nutrients and management and does not interfere with existing food crops, insects, and pest resistance. This investigation was the first study of its type to use climatological data, blue/green water footprints, and JC seed production to identify suitable sites for JC bioenergy plantation using the AquaCrop FAO model across the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in northwest Pakistan. The JC seed yield (10 ton/ha) was at a maximum in the districts of Bannu, Karak, Hangu, Kurram, North Waziristan, Lakki Marwat, South Waziristan, and Dera Ismail Khan, in addition to its frontier regions, Tank, Peshawar, Mohmand, Orakzai, Khyber, Kohat, Charsadda, Mardan, Swabi, and Nowshera, respectively. Green water footprint (264 m³/ton of JC seed) and blue water footprint (825 m³/ton) was less in these areas. Furthermore, the results revealed that, depending on climatological circumstances, the southern part of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province is more appropriate for JC bioenergy plantation than the northern region. The districts of Bannu, Karak, Hangu, Kurram, North Waziristan, Lakki Marwat, South Waziristan, Dera Ismail Khan, and its frontier regions, Tank, Peshawar, Mohmand, Orakzai, Khyber, and Kohat, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province were identified to be the most ideal places for JC bioenergy plantation. As a result, under the Billion Tree Afforestation Project (BTAP) and the Green Pakistan Project, the Forest Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should consider planting JC species in the province’s southern region. Furthermore, this research will provide scientific information to government and private sector officials for better management and optimum yield of the JC biofuel crop, as well as for the promotion of energy forestry in Pakistan.

Climatic factors play an essential role in the growth of tree ring width. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the correlation between climatic variables and tree-ring growth characteristics of Pinus sibirica in Altai mountains, northwestern China. This study being is first of its kind on climate growth analysis of Pinus sibirica in northwestern China. The study showed great potential to understand the species growing under the specific climatic conditions. Total of 70 tree cores collected from three sites in the sampling area, out of which 63 tree cores considered for this study. The effect of climatic variables which was studied include precipitation, temperature and PDSI. Our results showed that Tree Ring Width chronology has a significantly positive correlation with the late winter (March) temperature and significant negative correlation with the July temperatures. A significant correlation was observed with the late summer precipitation whereas no significant relation found with the Palmer Drought Severity Index. These significant correlations with temperature and precipitation suggested that this tree species had the potential for the reconstruction of the past climate in the area.

Estimating and detecting changes in forest coverage and land-use land-cover (LULC) change due to human and natural sources is critical for long-term management. In the assessment, planning, and monitoring of forest resources, geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) play a critical role. This study used multi - temporal Landsat satellite images to assess changes in forests and other LULC along the Indus River’s Bindi Dheraja Sukkar in southern Pakistan. Forest and other LULC were classified using multitemporal Landsat data obtained during the years 2008, 2012, 2014, and 2017. In addition, from the classed maps of 2008 and 2017, forest cover and other LULC change detection maps were created. Ground sample locations and high-resolution Google Earth images were used to verify the final maps. According to the findings, forest area reduced by 17.18 percent with a yearly decline rate of 1.72 percent from 2008 to 2017, whereas agriculture land rose by 26.4 percent with a yearly growth rate of 2.6 percent. With a yearly drop rate of 0.48 percent, the area of water bodies and barren land declined by 4.85 percent and 4.81 percent, respectively. These findings will help with long-term planning and monitoring of the region’s forest resources, and they may be used by local, regional, and national forest authorities in the context of riverine forest management.