Kashmir botanical garden gets international recognition

Srinagar, May 10 : A botanical garden in Kashmir has got international recognition and will participate in the worldwide implementation of the global agenda on plant conservation, environmental awareness and sustainable development.

The Kashmir University Botanical Garden (KUBG) was awarded a certificate from the Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) and has been put on the global network of botanical gardens.

''KUBG is a registered participant in the worldwide implementation of the international agenda in support of plant conservation, environmental awareness and sustainable development,'' the certificate said.

Established in 1961, KUBG is spread over 12 acres of land.

Recently, an extension of KUBG - - High Altitude Experimental Garden -- was set up at Gulmarg.

The garden has well defined sections of coniferatum, shrubbery, rosary, rockery, salicatum, bulbous-plant section, rosaceous-plant section, medicinal-plant section, lily pond, protected grassland, and experimental plot (for research purposes).

Glass-House and Hot-House facilities exist at KUBG which provide protection to the tropical and subtropical exotic plants during freezing winters.

Two captivating lawns, used for growing ornamentals, has added aesthetic feather to the garden.

KUBG is supplemented by an internationally known Herbarium (KASH), housed in the Centre of Plant Taxonomy (COPT). KASH harbours a rich repository of about 35,000 accessioned plant specimens representing floristic bio-diversity of the whole range in Kashmir himalaya.

At present, KUBG represents field gene bank for about 400 native and 150 exotic plant species. A large collection of medicinal plants - particularly Rare, Endangered and Threatened (RET) - are grown in the garden and its extension at Gulmarg, mainly for germplasm conservation and multiplication purposes.

Efforts are on to enrich the garden by growing maximum possible representatives of the native floristic elements so that it acts as a mirror of the flora of Kashmir himalaya.

In this regard, several research projects funded by GBPIHED, Almora, DBT, MoEF, BGCI and others were recently successfully carried out in KUBG, which will be used as the main institution for public awareness and education about environmental management and sustainable use of bio-diversity.

UNI