The population is increasing day by day, the world over. Dependence of the people on the plant natural resources has threatened them seriously. Therefore, Biodiversity Treaty was signed at Rio de Janeiro in 1992, advising the member countries of the UNO to safeguard their natural resources. Pakistan, being a responsible state, prepared National Conservation Strategy (1992), Provincial Conservation Strategy (PCS) and National Biodiversity Action Plan (2000) to address all the issues raised in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
Looking into the pages of history, man has always cared for the protection of plants and animals. Even during wars, cutting of plants was strictly prohibited. Educational institutions have patronized to create plant sanctuaries in the form of Botanic Gardens, Arboreta and Herbaria.
1. Botanic Garden: Botanic Garden has been defined as � An institution organized to maintain plant collections, usually representing various numbers of genera and species (herbs, shrubs, trees etc.) to serve educational, aesthetic, scientific or economic purposes. Recently Botanic Gardens offer a source of recreation� (from Fred Widomyer, Secretary-Treasurer, American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta contributing to American Encyclopedia, 1967).
2. Arboretum: The term Arboretum is singular and Arboreta is plural. An Arboretum is a sample area set aside for growing and effective display of different kinds of woody ornamental trees, shrubs, vines and other useful plants, which may be grown, maintained and properly labeled for study� (Wyman, 1959).
3. Herbarium: (Herbarium=singular; Herbaria=plural). Herbarium is a collection of dried preserved plants, an educational and research institution providing a basic source for the study of systematic botany and related fields. It serves as a reference center, a documentation facility and a data storehouse (Radford .et al 1974).
Plant sciences department, normally called Botany department is entirely field-oriented. The need for teaching of botany even in schools, colleges and universities depends on the availability of plants, growing on a limited space called botanical garden. During affiliation of a college with a university at undergraduate level in the field of botany, the prototype of botanical garden is considered a prerequisite. As mentioned in the definition above, almost every old college in NWFP (Islamia College, Edwardes College, Jehanzeb College, etc.) has a botanical garden.
As far as the Botanical Garden of the Botany department, University of Peshawar, is concerned, it has a well-set plan of presentation. The area assigned, though small, has been very nicely divided into botanical garden and arboretum by Prof. Dr. N. A. Qazilbash the honorable founder chairman, in 1958. The present land distribution and introduction of various plant species has been so designed that he deserves to be honored. There is a unique collection of trees, shrubs and herbs growing therein. The plants introduced belong to diverse phylogenetic groups of plant kingdom that are frequently required and used for daily practical class work. There are two concepts about the preservation and conservation of plant natural resources in the world.
1. Botanic Garden: This school of thought establishes a botanical garden for growing live plants, generally called ex-situ conservation for particular reasons. Within the activity of the botanical garden, they also develop a herbarium where the dried plant specimens are preserved for research and academic purposes. For example, Kew Botanical Garden is well known, where, associated with the same, the Kew Herbarium usually abbreviated as `K� in the Index Herbariorum is also present.
2. Herbarium: This school of thought establishes a herbarium for the preservation of dried plant specimens. Associated with the herbarium, a botanical garden is developed for conservation of live plants as an integral part thereof. For example, Peking University Herbarium, generally known as `PE�, also has a Botanical Garden.
Dr. N. A. Qazilbash, following the second approach developed a herbarium in the Botany department, which continued to grow richer with time. At present, it is an internationally recognized herbarium, known as Peshawar University Herbarium (PUP), and so figuring in the international list of herbaria, Index Herbariorum. This Herbarium has the associated activity of the Botanical Garden, to cater for research and education. The senior botanists have also contributed in the establishment of the present botanical garden, Department of Botany, University of Peshawar.
There are many old gardens throughout Pakistan. It is proposed that the HEC and provincial governments may constitute a technical committee to review the status of such gardens, advise their development and declare them as protected botanical gardens. Such gardens are rare in Pakistan and efforts may be directed to create more of these. This will improve our image globally in the environmental perspective.
While it is hereby being proposed to increase the number of botanical gardens in Pakistan, it is obligatory upon the Government of Pakistan that the existing Botanical Garden (inclusive of the Arboretum) an integral part of the Peshawar University Herbarium (PUP, Department of Botany) may be protected under the Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP-N, BAP-P).
Notwithstanding the nomenclature of botanical garden, the garden of Botany Department, UOP, has made history through publications made from studies done on material supplied from this garden.
In view of the above facts, regarding this institution, it is obligatory upon the Peshawar University to protect the garden and withdraw the previous directive of felling the trees therein.
Dr A R Beg - PhD (France)
Peshawar
Asadullah - Lecturer Botany Dept UoP
& Other Staff.
Address Herbarium, Botany Department
University of Peshawar
Peshawar, North-West Frontier
Pakistan
Contact Phone: [92] 91/ 921 6701, ext. 3042.
Correspondents Abdur Rashid, [email protected]
Updated Oct 2002
Notes Pakistan.
View staff
Person Herbarium
Code Institution Location
Naveed Akhtar PUP University of Peshawar Pakistan. North-West Frontier. Peshawar.
Tanvir Burni PUP University of Peshawar Pakistan. North-West Frontier. Peshawar.
Ghulam Dastagir PUP University of Peshawar Pakistan. North-West Frontier. Peshawar.
Musarrat Jabeen PUP University of Peshawar Pakistan. North-West Frontier. Peshawar.
Abdur Rashid PUP University of Peshawar Pakistan. North-West Frontier. Peshawar.
F. M. Sarim PUP University of Peshawar Pakistan. North-West Frontier. Peshawar
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