PerspectivesAre you interested in submitting a Perspective Article? Be sure to read The Science Advisory Board's Editorial Guides for Perspective Articles. Click here. Loss of Biodiversity in the Pakistani Hindukush Himalayas by Zabta Shinwari, Ph.D.  The civil war in Afghanistan of the last three decades (that has now reached the tribal areas of Pakistan) has played a major role in destroying the biodiversity of the country. The majority of the forest cover has been destroyed and the timber has been cut and sold both in the country and in the neighboring countries. This problem is now spreading fast in the tribal areas of Pakistan, the bordering area with Afghanistan. As a result, rough estimates suggest that we may have lost several important species due to war tactics, that include the burning of entire forest regions to deter enemies. The scale of recent losses since coalition forces under American leadership invaded Afghanistan is enormous; significant environmental degradation has occurred. This may be responsible for the extinction of a number of species of animals and plants in the area. Pakistan, a country of over 150 million in population and 796,095 sq. kilometers is blessed with abundant natural resources. It’s a unique country where altitudinal differences from 0 m to 8,611 m create a rich floral diversity of over 6000 plant species. The northern areas of Pakistan have unique importance because of its diverse biophysical environment and an extremely rich cultural milieu of its inhabitants belonging to hundreds of ethnic groups and indigenous communities. For sustainable development of the Himalayan region, application of the indigenous knowledge of mountain people in relation to biodiversity resource management is a key issue. They are not only of value for the cultures from which they evolve, but also for scientists and planners striving to improve conditions in rural societies. The pace at which we are losing the biodiversity of the area is alarming. Now this destruction is spread to the Pakistani part of the Hindukush Himalayas. This destruction is not only eroding the animal species (e.g. snow leopard), but also economically important plant species. Loss of Local Flora A conservative approach indicates that at least 700 plant species are being used as medicinal and aromatic plants in this part of the world. There are several reported wild plants that are used as primary foods and some are used as condiments. Their number is estimated at more than 800 species. There are several weed species that are considered as edible vegetables by the tribal communities. (Shinwari et al. 2000, 2002). There is a huge crude drug (Pansara) market system that is almost entirely dependent on wild plant species. Both human and animal ailments are treated through the use of medicinal herbs. Due to continuous fighting in these regions, and over-collection of plants to subsidize impoverished incomes, several species have gone extinct in the Hindukush-Himalayan regions.  Wild nuts The Walnut & Chalghoza species were major sources of income in Swat & Waziristan, respectively. Due to recent fighting, one rough estimate suggests that half of the forest of Chalghoza has been lost. The price of these two dry fruits has gone up five times in the last three to four years. Condiments and Spices Species like wild pomegranate (Punica granatum) locally known as "anar dana” are found in Pakistan. They are used in cooking as it has a sour taste, which enhances the taste of food dishes; it also has medicinal value. The tree of the wild pomegranate grows naturally in sub-mountainous tracts of the country from 900 to 1,800 m. The areas of production are Haripur, Dir, Swat, Hangu, Kurram Valley, and Ziarat, amongst others. Approximately 4,500 to 5,000 people are involved in the collection and processing of wild pomegranate and there are more than 100 dealers only in NWFP who purchase the fresh pomegranate fruit. Women were earning Rs. 300 to 500 for each 40 kg of seed extraction. The unit price of the wild pomegranate is 150 to 200 per kg. The total production of wild pomegranate was 69,000 tonnes in the country in 1999-2000 (Agriculture Statistic of Pakistan, 99-00). Caraway (Carum carvi), locally known as "zeera siah", is used for flavoring bread, cakes, biscuits, and cheese. It is also an ingredient of pickling spice (CSIR, 1950). Caraway is a perennial herb with thick tuberous roots. An average shrub of Caraway yields 15 to 25 kg of fresh fruit and the total production is about 300 tonnes, which is consumed locally. The wholesale price of caraway ranges from Rs 260 to 300 per kg. The production of both species is consumed locally. Some caraway is imported from Iran, which is of inferior quality due to its sweeter taste and is mostly used in pharmaceutical preparations. The caraway produced is worth of 3.01 million rupees. Honey Honey is collected annually from domestic beehives as well as from the forests. This is another major source of income for these communities. This honey is consumed locally and also exported. Mushrooms Types of mushroom collected are mainly different species of morels, locally known as ‘Kali’ (black), ‘Surkh (red), ‘Guchi’ (Morchella esculenta), Narela, and Begar Guchi (Morchella sp.). ‘Kali’ and ‘Surkh’ are apparently phenotypic variations of Morchella esculenta, the only mushroom collected for sale. The sale of Morchella esculenta at the doorstep varies from 2,000 to 6,000 rupees per kg, mostly on the basis of quality. This single species, in some cases, contributed 30% of the total budget of a year to many families. Due to the instability of the region, many can no longer travel to the local forests for collection of these species. Pakistan is rich in wild vegetable resources. The longevity enjoyed by certain communities in Pakistan and Afghanistan tribal areas indicates utility of a number of wild vegetables with high nutritional values comparable to those of cultivated vegetables. In recent civil wars the tribal people were mainly dependent on these wild vegetables, which provided them with important nourishment sources, such as protein, calories, mineral elements, and vitamins. Some wild vegetables are also sturdy and healthy, may tolerate adverse conditions, and may be resistant to plant diseases and insect pests. Every year in the spring, Afghan refugees collect certain species (e.g. Medicago sativa), dry them and use them as food reserves in the winter. Due to deforestation and civil war, most wild vegetables and mushrooms are now unavailable in the forests. A certain level of integrity of the forest ecosystem, therefore, seems necessary to provide these resources upon which local households rely. Other environmental problems include population pressure, poverty, poor quality of the natural resource-base, breakdown of social institutions, lack of landuse plans, and the lack of enforcement of existing rules. Deforestation in the Himalayas is generally attributed to demographic pressure and other related effects: increase in demand for land for cultivation; livestock population; use of the remaining forest to meet growing needs for fodder, fuelwood, and timber. On the other hand, social issues, such as social relationships, perceptions and values about natural resources as seen by different social groups, issues of access to and control over resources, and issues of power in relation to deforestation, have rarely been discussed in current literature as possible driving forces to deforestation (Saxena et al. 2001). Thousands of Afghan refugees have taken shelter in Pakistan. They are experiencing an unenviable life due to abject poverty. They are totally dependent on the plants for their daily domestic needs. The Ghamkol Area, Peshawar Road in Kohat, for example, was rich in Berberis lycium and Delphinium kohatense (a local endemic species). The Ghamkol Refugees Camp was established in early 1980s. Today, Berberis lycium and Delphinium kohatense are totally lost from the area (Shinwari et al. 2002). Because of such declining trends, most of the species, especially having medicinal values, are alarmingly joining the "Threatened Species Club" (Table 1). Table 1: Total Flora and medicinal plants of the hotspots of Pakistan and their current status  The rapid loss of flora and cultural diversity, and the state of absolute material poverty of 30% of people in Pakistan, make it urgent that we should find solutions to their problems; take active roles in making decisions about the management of natural resources and about the status of their traditions and knowledge. Such studies will help in not only providing food security, nutrition and health care to the tribal people, but will also recover and diffuse local botanical knowledge. References Ali, S. I. and M. Qaiser.1986. A Phytogeographical Analysis of the Phanerogames of Pakistan and Kashmir. Proc. Royal. Soc. Edinburg, 89B: 89-101. Shinwari, Z. K., S. S. Gilani, M. Kohjoma and T. Nakaika. 2000. Status of medicinal plants in Pakistani Hindukush Himalayas. Proceedings of Nepal – Japan Joint Symposium on Conservation and utilization of Himalayan Medicinal Resources. pp. 257 – 264. Shinwari, Z. K., S. S. Gilani and M. Shoukat. 2002. Ethnobotanical resources and implications for curriculum. Shinwari, Z. K., A. Hamilton and A. A. Khan (Eds.). Proceedings of workshop on curriculum development in applied ethnobotany. May, 2 – 4, 2002, Nathiagali, Abbotabad. WWF – Pakistan. pp. 21 – 34. Hamilton A., Pei S., Kessy J., Khan A.A., Lagos-Witte S. and Shinwari Z.K. 2003 The purpose and teaching of applied ethnobotany People and Plants Working Paper Series, No 11, p 71. Saxena, K. G., K.S. Rao, K. K. Sen, R. K. Maikhuri and R.L. Semwal. 2001. Integrated natural resource management: approaches and lessons from the Himalaya. Conservation Ecology 5(2): 14. [online] URL: http://www.consecol.org/vol5/iss2/art14 Shinwari Z.K., Gilani, S. and Shoukat, M. 2003. Role of medicinal plants in alleviating Poverty of Pakistani Hindukush Himalayas. In Mufti S.A., Hussein S. S. and Khan, AM Proceeding Mountians of Pakistan: Protection, Potential and Prospects Global Change Impact Studies Centre, Islamabad-Pakistan pp 233-241. WWF-Pakistan 2000b Sustainable management of Chilghoza Forest Ecosystem in the Bargha Sherani area of Sulaiman Mountain Range through community development. ### << Previous Next >> [ View All Perspectives ] |
|
