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Report On

Role of Botanical Garden in Conservation of


Plant

Prepared By:
Kinshuk Pradhan
Class: 11’C’
Roll No: 023NEB320

Submitted to:
Department of Biology
Plus two program
Date of submission: 30th November 2023
St. Xavier’s College

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Letter of Approval

This is to certify that Kinshuk Pradhan, the student of Grade 11’C’ along with his classmates
and friends was permitted to visit the NBG ( National Botanical Garden, Godawari) for his
academic purpose on the supervision of Biology Department as per with the agreement of Fr.
Principal Dr. Augustin Thomas S.J and has successfully completed the report on the title “ROLE
BOTANICAL GARDEN IN CONSERVATION” and forwarded to the examination.

Brajesh Shrestha
Subject Coordinator
Supervisor
Department of Biology Department of
Biology
Date: 2023/11/30 Date:
2023/11/30

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Abstract
A place run by an organization for the purpose of growing and studying several types of plants
is known as Botanical Garden. Botanical gardens serve a variety of important purposes and play
a crucial role in both conservation and education. The survey work entitled " Role of National
Botanical Garden, Godawari, Lalitpur in the conservation of plants in Nepal at Godawari,
Lalitpur" was conducted on 16th of October 2023 at National Botanical Garden, Godawari,
Lalitpur, Nepal.

The main objective of the study was to find out the roles of the National Botanical Garden in
the preservation of plants and discover different species of plants present in the garden during
the survey period. Both primary and secondary data were used for this survey. A total of 1,005
floral species belonging to 656 species of dicots, 228 species of monocots, 26 species of
gymnosperms, 95 species of pteridophytes, 154 species of MAPs, 35 species of climbers, 70
species of orchids, 61 species of wild edible plants, 190 species of ornamental plants, 21 species
of rare, endangered and vulnerable plants, 5 species of endemic and 11 species of Alien and
Invasive plants were recorded. The present survey showed that the botanical garden has been
providing a good environment for the In-situ (465 species) and Ex-situ(540 species)
conservation of flora. The present survey shows that protection and management of certain
floral species further enhance the importance of the National Botanical Garden for the
conservation of plants.
Acknowledgement
I would like to express my sincere appreciation and thanks to all colleagues and our college St.
Xavier's College, Maitighar and Fr. Principal Dr. Augustin Thomas S.J and biology department
for allowing me to explore the platform and encouraging me to successfully complete this
report on “Role of Botanic Garden in Plant Conservation”. This report would have been
impossible without the combined efforts and contributions of the individuals and organizations
listed above. I am profoundly grateful for their commitment and cooperation. Through this
report, I learned the importance of various types of plants and the importance of protecting all
plants and their habitats. I have observed and understood many types of environments that
plants grow in, and the appropriate environments needed for plants to survive in those
particular environmental conditions.

Name: Kinshuk Pradhan


Class: 11
Section: C
Roll No: 320

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Table of Content
1.Introduction
1.1 Background
1.1.1 History of Botanical Garden in World
1.1.2 History of botanical Garden in Nepal
1.1.3 Criteria Necessary for Botanical Garden
1.1.4 List of Botanical Garden in Nepal
1.2 Objectives of Botanical Garden
1.3 Limitations of study
1.4 Rationale of the project

2.Materials and methods


2.1 Areas of study
2.2 Materials used in study
2.3 Sources of Data
2.4 Method of study
2.5 Study of Design

3. Results / finding
• Conservation of different plants
• Introduction on different plant species

4. Conclusion and discussion


 Recommendation
 References
 Annexes
1. Introduction
A botanic garden is a specialized garden devoted to the cultivation and display of a wide
variety of plants, often organized by taxonomy or geographic origin, for the purposes of
conservation, research, and recreation. These gardens serve as living museums that educate
visitors about plant life and its importance to our world. It is an establishment where plants are
grown for scientific study and displayed to the public.
1.1 Background
1.1.1 History of Botanical Garden in World
The first botanical gardens were already established in the Middle Ages. In the 16th century
there were gardens in Pisa, Bologna, Padua, and Leiden. The first botanical garden in the world

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was created in Padua in 1545, making the Padua Botanical Garden the oldest surviving example
of this type of cultural property. Aromatic and medicinal herbs still exist in the botanical garden
of Padua. Famous botanical gardens include the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew near London
(1759), the Berlin-Dahlem Botanical Garden (1646) and the Schönbrunn Botanical Garden in
Vienna (1753).

1.1.2 History of Botanical Garden in Nepal


The National Botanical Garden (NBG) is the oldest and largest botanical garden in the country.
It was formally founded on October 28, 1962 (Kartik 12, 2019) and inaugurated by King
Mahendra. The foundation stone of the National Botanical Gardens (NBG) was laid on 12 July
1961 (Asadh 28 2018) by Deputy Minister of Forests and Agriculture Khagendra Jung Gurung.
Formerly known as the Royal Botanic Garden (RBG), NBG belongs to the Department of Plant
Resources (DPR), Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE), Government of Nepal (GoN).
Two British architects, Geoffrey Herklots and Tony Schilling designed the landscape of this
wonderful botanical garden. It is also an internationally recognized botanic garden and has
been a member of Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) since 2015.

1.1.3 Criteria Necessary for Botanical Gardens


- A reasonable degree of permanence
- An underlying scientific basis for the collections
- Proper documentation of the collections, including wild origin
- Monitoring of the plants in the collections
- Adequate labeling of the plants
- Open to the public
- Communication of information to other gardens, institutions, and the public
- Exchange of seed or other materials with other botanic gardens, arboreta, or
research institutions
- Undertaking of scientific or technical research on plants in the collections
- Maintenance of research programs in plant taxonomy in associated herbaria.

[Source-IUCN Botanic Gardens Conservation (bgci.org)]

1.1.4 Botanical Gardens in Nepal


There are altogether 11 botanical gardens in Nepal. They are:

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S.no. Botanical garden Location

1. Dhanushadham Botanical Garden Dhanusha

2. Maipokhari Botanical Garden Ilam

3. Brindaban Botanical Garden Brindavan, Makwanpur

4. Mountain Botanical Garden Daman, Makwanpur

5. Tistung Botanical Garden Tistung, Makwanpur

6. Dhakeri Botanical Garden Banke

7. National Botanical Garden Godawari

8. Mulpani Botanical Garden Salyan

9. World Peace Biodiversity Garden Pokhara

10. Dhitachaur Botanical Garden Jumla

11. Dewahariya Botanical Garden Kailali


(Source: www.dpr.gov.np)
1.2 Objectives
The major objectives of this botanical garden visit are:

• To know the role of botanical gardens in environmental conservation.


• To know the present condition of botanical Garden in Nepal.
• To know about distinct species of plants along with their morphology.
• To have a critical view of plants which are in the verge of extinction.
• To learn how botanical garden are managed.

1.3 Limitation of Study

 Limited time to observe and analyze


 Lack of proper guidance
 Lack of information about the terrain
 Lack of experimental and analytical resources

1.4 Rationale of Project

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The rationale of the project was to explore the distinct species found within the garden. It gave
us an idea about the floral diversity in the nation. Moreover, there were species of flora which
were endangered and vulnerable. So, indirectly, it functioned as an awareness for us to
conserve those plants. The plants were conserved in diverse ways. We found different ways of
conservation thanks to this study. The distinct species of the flora have different structures and
properties. Every plant is important and beneficial on its own. The garden has also displayed
different medicinal and ornamental plants in an eco-friendly way.

2.Methodology
2.1 Study Area:

Location: Godawari, Lalitpur (16km south of Kathmandu, at the base of Phulchowki)


Altitude: 2765 m from sea level
Area: 82ha (surrounded by forests of Alnus nepalensis, Schima wallichii, Quercus semecarpifolia
and Castanopsisindica).
Annual average rainfall: Around 19,000 mm
Acidity of soil (pH): 5.8

Here is the road map of National Botanical Garden;

2.2 Materials used


Materials used during our study are:
- Notebook

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- Writing materials
- Camera
- Information board, etc.
2.3 Sources of Data:
 Primary: Direct observation, Teacher's guide.
 Secondary: Internet, Sample Report

2.4 Methods of Study:


 Educational tour
 Direct observation
 Information from the botanical library
 By questioning the garden staff
 By taking photographs of plants
 By noting down in the notebook
 By taking information from textbook
 Getting secondary data and information from internet
2.5 Study design
We completed our study using different methods in about 3-4 hours in the National Botanical
Garden. We roamed around and observed different species of plants along with their
preservation for 2.5 hours. We rested a bit and interviewed the workers for about 30 minutes.
We visited different attractions of the National Botanical Garden as well to obtain more
information and data.
Chapter 3: Result and Findings
Botanical gardens play an important role in the conservation, cultivation and propagation of
various plant species. They serve as a bank for medicinal, exotic, ornamental, tropical and
various other plant species and act as living libraries for researchers, botanists and
conservationists. These gardens facilitate the conservation of endangered or rare species and
offer a controlled environment conducive to their growth. They also serve as educational
centers, sharing knowledge about the use, conservation and cultivation of these plants. In
addition, botanic gardens are often involved in scientific research, contributing to advances in
medicine, agriculture and environmental protection through the study of these plant varieties,
ultimately contributing significantly to the conservation and promotion of a wide variety of
plants around the world. A total of 1,005 floral species belonging to 656 species of dicots, 228
species of monocots, 26 species of gymnosperms, 95 species of pteridophytes, 154 species of
MAPs, 35 species of climbers, 70 species of orchids, 61 species of wild edible plants, 190 species
of ornamental plants, 21 species of rare, endangered and vulnerable plants, 5 species of
endemic and 11 species of Alien and Invasive plants were recorded. A botanic garden has been
found to protect various types of plants in the following ways:

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1. Medicinal Plants:
 It has provided proper temperature to medicinal plants
 Housed in a tropical house.
 It conserves various rare and threatened species of rare plants. (such as Phanera vahli,
Rauwolfia serpentina, Santalum album, Shorea robusta, Withania somnifera, etc.)
 It has provided suitable soil type, sufficient water and sunlight for survival of various
medicinal plants.

2. Exotic plants:
 It has provided proper topographical maintenance of survival of Exotic plants from
different parts of the world.
 Fern garden, VVIP garden, etc serve as suitable growing spots for exotic plants.
 Botanical garden provides all the required nutrients for development and continuation
of exotic plants.

3. Ornamental plants:
 The ornamental plants were placed in such a way that they were conserved as well as
seemed a decoration for the garden’s periphery.
 Time to time observation and proper care was given by the garden.

4. Xerophytic plants
 Appropriate soil types and amount of water required was for the xerophytes was
present and maintained in the botanical garden.
 Temperature for xerophytes (i.e. hot ) was also maintained for proper growth and
nourishment.

5. Tropical plants:
 Fertile soil suitable for tropical plants are arranged for their proper growth and
germination, at places like tropical house and tropical garden.
 Proper nutrients for the growth and development of the plants are provided.
 Different organic fertilizers are also used for their proper growth and
development.
6. Maintenance of Aquatic life:
 Botanical gardens make water life suitable for aquatic life.
 The coronation pond situated at the botanical garden acts as a shelter for Hydrilla
verticillata, myriophyllum aquaticum and various algae species. We observed that there
is a lake surrounded by remarkable plants like Albizia julibrissin, Bauhinia variegata,
Berberis napoleensis, Ficus auriculata,Prunus cerasoides, etc.
 Cleaning of ponds and water resources is done frequently.

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We found that the garden has a variety of conservatories for preserving particular plant species
or groups, such as (1) Bonsai House, (2) Cactus & Succulent House, (3) Cyclamen House, (4) Fern
House, (5) Orchid House, (6) Ornamental Plant House, (7) Plant Propagation Houses, and (8)
Tropical House.

Some Plants Observed in the Botanical Garden

We observed many plant species along the route. Some of the plant species found are listed
below: -

 Lichen: - A lichen is a composite organism that arises from


algae or cyanobacteria living among filaments of multiple fungi
species in a mutualistic relationship. This unique symbiotic
association allows lichens to colonize a variety of
environments, including rocks, tree bark, soil, and other
surfaces.

S.N Nepali Scientific Uses Parts Used Endemic


Name name /Exotic
1. Timur Zanthoxylum Fruit and Seed for Abdominal Seed, leaf, fruit, Endemic
armatum pain, Leaf paste for wounds etc.
and cuts

2. Kantakari Solanum Whole Plant For treatment of Whole plant Endemic


virginianum cough,chest pain,leprosy,etc

3. Sankha Phul Zantedeschia Used for treatment of Leaf Endemic


aethiopica wounds,rheumatism,gout,etc

4. Australian Cyathea Container planting, erosion Leaves, Young Exotic


Fern Plant spinulosa control, indoor plant, etc. Fronds, Stem.

5. Banphada Lantana used in herbal medicine for Leaves Exootic


camara cough treatment, influenza

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treatment, malaria, etc.

6. Ban haledo Curcuma Used in treatment of root Endemic


aromatica gastrointestinal ailments,
wounds, skin infection, etc.

Zanthoxylum armatum Solanum virginianum Zantedeschia aethiopica

Cyathea spinulosa Lantana camara Curcuma aromatica

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Some of the conservation sites of NBG

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4.Conclusion and Discussion
In conclusion, visiting the Godavari Botanical Garden offers a comprehensive and rich
experience, offering a wide variety of plants from different regions of the world. Well-designed
themed sections such as the Tropical Rainforest and Flora exhibits showcase an incredible
variety of plant life.
Overall, our visit to the garden was effective as we were able to learn various informative things
about the plants. It was fun as well as productive. We can see many types of plants like exotic,
ornamental, medicinal, tropical, aquatic, xerophytic, etc. We would recommend taking our
college for these visits often as we can gain practical knowledge about many subjects.
4.1 Recommendation
I. Collection of indigenous flora must be done more in number for better study.
II. The area must be enlarged according to the number of plants accordingly.
III. Proper space should be provided for proper germination of flora.
IV. Waste management should be done properly.
V. Floral species should be further well managed for better study and observation.

References
Google.com
nbg.gov.np
dpr.gov.np
wikipedia.com
bgci.org
Annexes

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