Jammu, July 25 -- Poor natural regeneration in the Chir Pine (Pinus roxburghii) forests is a matter of perturbing ecological concern in the Jammu region. Locally called chir or cheel, it is one of the prized tree species - a prominent coniferous Longleaf Indian Pine tree native to the Himalayan region. The species is named after the Scottish botanist William Roxburgh. A massive, large evergreen tree with an elongated crown, it attains a height of up to 50 metres, with about 3.5 metres in girth, and forms a straight cylindrical bole that becomes umbrella-shaped at the top. The bark is thick, rough, and deeply fissured, displaying shades of reddish-brown. The leaves are needle-like, grouped in fascicles of three, and may grow up to 35 centime...