CCU # Need of Botanic Garden in Torghar area District Qilla Saifullah, Balochistan, Mohammad Yahya Musakhel, Conservation Officer, Habitat and Species Conservation Project, SUSG-CAsia, Quetta. Balochistan: An Overview Balochistan, the land of different cultural and biological contrasts is the largest province of Pakistan. Once abode of remarkable biological diversity, Balochistan has experienced considerable environmental damage. Much of its natural resources have been destroyed for fuel wood, timber, grazing and unsustainable exploitation of resources. This deprives the community not only of the direct benefits occuring from the sustained supply of forest produce including wood, medicinal and other plants of economic importance, and wild animals that would have sustained them and their future generations, but also resulted in loss of ecological resources, watershed value and tourism potential. In past very sporadic conservation efforts have been made by the concerned departments and the communities to address natural resource management based issues in the province. Limited access to the resources, lack of political commitment and little capacity were some of the major factors responsible for any intensive efforts to address the issue effectively. Torghar at a glance Torghar lies in a semi-arid mountain ecosystem and is of global biodiversity significance as it is the last stronghold of straight horned Markhor. It is also an important habitat of Afghan Urialovince and other species of special concerns. Torghar is located in the northern most part of Toba Kakar Range in Qilla Saifullah District of Balochistan, Pakistan. The approximate area covered by Torghar Conservancy is about ~ 1800 square kilometers. The altitude varies between 2500-3300 meters. The climate is marked by strong seasonality. The temperature ranges between ‘5 degree Celsius in summer to as low as minus 15 degree Celsius in winter. Rainfall is variable and the annual average is between 200-250 mm. March and April receive maximum rainfall with some rainfall in July and August. Precipitation from December to February occurs as snow. The area is characterized by steppe vegetation. Torghar Conservancy at Qilla Saifullah Balochistan The forest type varies from dry temperate to alpine steppe. Major tree species include Wild Pistachio (Pistacia khinjuk), Juniper (Juniperus macropoda) and Ash (Fraxinu xanthoxiloides). The areajs also rich in herbs — and shrubs and many of these are used as medicine. It is also-rich’in bird, reptile and © Pakistan Botanic Gardens Network Secretariat Report Jan 2007-Dec 2008 4 .SCU © mammal species. It is an important breeding ground to birds like Chakur, See-see Partridge, Imperial Sandgrouse and many © songbirds. Torghar Hills are also the last stronghold for Straight-horned Markhor ~~ > Capra falconeri megaceros), which is listed fe a threatened species in the IUCN Red Data Book, as well as containing a significant A population of Afghan Urial (Ovis orientalis ~~ — eycloceros). The area also possesses great “©. diversity in other taxa. Recently two new "species of lizards were identified from the area, namely, Naseer's Black Rock Agama (Laudakia melanura nasiri) and Bent-toed- Gecko (Tenuidactylus rhodocaudus). The Afghan Mole Vole was also rediscovered here. The area is also rich in bird species and the first record of breeding of Hawfinch in the _— subcontinent was from this area. Need of Establishment of Botanic Garden Rapid increase in human population, un- ~~ favourable climatic conditions, degradation of habitats and loss of species, lack of awareness at all levels about the fragile nature es ecosystem, trend of cultivation of invasive “plant species, deforestation and uprooting of “5 thnobotanie plants and breakdown of ~~" ‘traditional institutions of common property ia source management are the major “indervng causes for loss of biodiversity. The Be Ay state agencies responsible for conservation “> Tack capacity and resources to address these ~~ problems. Furthermore, the enforcement of laws is weak due to the tribal nature of the society. Therefore, the only viable option to conserve the biodiversity in these areas is to nstrate economic and ecological nefits of conservation and to promote the empowerment of the local communities in order to make them custodians of the ge biodiversity. Sustainable Use Specialist Group Central Asia (SUSG-CAsia) has expanded its initiatives in semi arid, mountain ecosystems of Hindokush Karkurum range. Since its inception, SUSG-CA sia is striving and testing new approaches to community based conservation primarily in Noshki and Torghar area. The results are improving management and collaborative approaches used by community based projects. Under these circumstances, establishment of Botanic Garden observe very necessary tool to preserve natural vegetation, conserve endangered plant species and to provide extensive educational program for visitors, researchers and students of Balochistan. These initiatives if implemented accordingly will certainly help in conserving and protecting the natural heritage of the area. Though SUSG-CAsia has tried to initiate this activity in the area by planting and preserving the seeds of nine indigenous plants species Pistacia khinjuk, P. cabulica, Fraxinus xantholoides, Prunus eburarna, Tamarix aphylla, Eremurus stenophyllus, Hertia intermedia, sophora mollis, and Bunium persicum in the target area. However, extensive efforts required quite widest to upscale these initiatives accordingly. In this regard organizations like Botanical Garden Association, Government College University Lahore, University of Balochistan, Arid Zone Research Center, Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University, Forest and Wildlife Department may play an important role in furthering the process by contributing theit professional inputs in the present initiatives. We are quite optimistic that if the mentioned organizations join hands in these efforts the) can contribute significantly towards the c Kistan Botanic Gardens Network Secretariat Report Jan gor. deeconservation and protection of the valuable natural heritage of the province in general and target area in particular. View of Botanic Garden, Qilla Saifullah. C: Visit to Botanic Gardens Laiversity of Balochistan Botanic Garden A would-be Model to Empower Public for Greening up the City Dr. Amin U Khan enever I visit a city which I have not jited in recent years, I have what you may a ‘Botanic Garden Fever’; it is an anxiety +h is only cured when the Botanic Garden ‘ited. The day I arrived in Quetta, on 23 2007, as soon as I left the airport I asked host Mr. Lagahari, to take me to the Pakistan Botanic Gardens ork epi na Botanic Garden before going to the rest house, this was to overcome the fever right from the start. Iwas told, for that I have to request to the Head of the Department, Dr. R. B. Tareen. In 4 any case, the same evening Dr. Tareen was kind enough and took me there. The garden is situated across the road, hardly 10. min walk from the University. We entered the garde through the backdoor as the main entrance is all encroached upon by the shops (Fig-1). In fact presently, the garden is sandwitched between the shops and a sewage channel, whereas originally the entire area belonged to the garden. As we entered the garden the site of the green frames reminded me that this is a typical garden situated in a temperate climate, but unfortunately most of the frames had broken glasses and were overgrown by weeds, indicating that the enthusiasm with which they were built is no longer there. It was built inearly 1970's and Dr. S. H Kiyani was its first curator and presently it was not clear to any oneas to who is the incharge. The remaining portion of about 10 acres of land, in spite of encroachments on either side, has still not lost its serenity. The large patches that give indigenous touch to the garden are the monoculture stand of Pinus halepensis, Fraxinus xanthoxyloides and Juniperus polycarpos (Fig-2). The rest of the garden ha: a thick green cover mostly of weeds; the ¥ prominent was the Ailanthus excelsa. In my gs opinion, with little maintenance and perhaps fencing can restore this garden to its former glory. Itis an ideal site for the promotion of the public participation, an important concept of botanic garden, as its location depicts the times we are living in i.e, of unprecedented environmental degradation. Like‘all over the cities of the developing world, Quetta city is witnessing massive population shifts from Dec 2008