Initiation of Ethnobotany Activities by WWF - Pakistan.

Project Sites
Ayubia National Park Component

Spread over an area of 1,684 ha, Ayubia National Park ( ANP), is surrounded by high density farmlands and guzara forests. It caters for the fodder and fuel needs of about 42,000 people. Being quite cold, especially in winters, fuelwood consumption is very high. Having almost depleted forest resources, most of the livestock grazes in the park. The buffer zone communities derive many illegal benefits form the park, such as vegetables, mushrooms, and medicinal plants. Illegal timber extraction is another menace threatening the park's natural flora. All such activities and practices are affecting the park's natural resources.
FES Being Used for Cooking and Heating

Activities

• Community tree plantations and distribution of seedlings through   establishment of nurseries.
• Introduction of fuel efficient stoves.
• Training workshops based on baseline data collection.
• Training of post Graduate students in Applied Ethnobotany.
• Promotion of improved fodder variety.
• Providing alternatives to local communities to address threats to the   park.
• Liaison with government agencies.

SWAT component

Swat is rich in floral biodiversity, having 1550 floral species and a reported 45 -350 medicinal plants. Most of the plant species of District Swat are endangered, vulnerable or rare. Ninety-three percent of the population of Swat depends on the forests for fuelwood and timber, and forested land is also cleared for agriculture. It is an emerging market for export of medicinal plants.
Swat is floristically classified into seven forest types: tropical dry deciduous forest, dry sub-tropical broadleaved forest, sub-tropical Chir pine forest, dry and moist temperate forest and sub-alpine and alpine forest.

Activities in Swat under the People and Plants project started in August 2002. Activities are under way in Roringar Valley with special concentration on Sulathanr and Charma villages as a wide variety of medicinal plants are found here. Later on, the project activities will extend to other parts of the Swat District.

Activities

• Capacity building of local communities and social organisations to reduce pressure on flora.
• Establishment of medicinal plant nurseries.
• Developing linkages between local communities, government organisation and Qarshi Industries.

Lacation Map of Swat