Predicting the Present Growing Stock for the next ten years keeping in view the dependency of local community.. 37 PREDICTING THE PRESENT GROWING STOCK FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS KEEPING IN VIEW THE DEPENDENCY OF LOCAL COMMUNITY IN KARAKER FOREST SWAT MUHAMMAD SADIQ KHAN 1 , WISAL SHAH 1 , AHMAD HUSSAIN 2 , ALIA NAZ 1 AND SHAH MASAUD 3 ¹Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Haripur, Pakistan 2 Department of Forestry and wildlife Management, University of Haripur, Pakistan 3 Department of Agriculture Sciences, University of Haripur, Pakistan Abstract: Accurate, precise and updated knowledge about forest growing stock facilitates forest manager in the in the context of timber-oriented forest management. In this study, the present growing stock parameters (2014) were measured and predicted for the next ten years (2024) by keeping into consideration the annual demands of the local community. For the measurement of growing stock, a study test site namely Barikot planning unit located in the Karaker forest of district Swat of Kyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Pakistan was selected. A systematic sampling approach was adopted by covering 2.5% of the test site area for the measurement of growing stock. The dependency of the local community on forest resources was assessed with 25% sample intensity in the Karaker village with the help of a questionnaire. The results show that average present tree density, basal area and volume at 2014 was 18 trees hacˉ¹, 1.3 m², and 15.19 m³ respectively. After applying movement ratio formula for the prediction of growing stock for the next ten years (2024) the average present tree density, basal area, and volume were decreased to 14 trees hacˉ¹, 1.2 m² and 13 m³ due to annual local demand of the community. Similarly, the average tree density 31 trees hacˉ¹, basal area 2.71 m² hacˉ¹ of the regeneration at 2014 will be decreased to 23 trees hacˉ¹ and 25 m³ at 2024, respectively. The findings of the study indicated that forest resources of Karaker forest are notably declining due to the ever increasing demands of local population and hence need protection and conservation. The present study will be useful for the planning and scientific management of forest growing stock of the study area on a sustainable basis. Keywords: Forest inventory; growing stock; movement ratio; socioeconomic; subtropical chir pine forest. Introduction Form ancient time, people get benefited and prospered from earth plenty resources. The population is on high growth rate, but resources are not. Forest provides goods and services like timber, food products (Honey, berries, Mushroom etc.) and forage. A forest also gives socioeconomic benefits, such as employment, products, sites protection of cultural value (FAO, 2006). It provides, the growing stock .i.e. the productive part and the growth. Growing stock may be defined as volume taken over bark of forest trees (living) above 30 cm in diameter at breast height. It J. Sc. & Tech. Univ. Peshawar, 2015, 39 (1), 37-55.