Abstract:
The present study was carried out to investigate floristic diversity,
ethnobotanical profile and conservation status of important plant species of Kaghan
Valley. The Valley is situated in the Northern Pakistan. It is 161 km long scenic
wonderland with its towering Himalayan peaks, peaceful lakes, majestic glaciers and
splashing water falls. The people are mostly poor, illiterate and are very much
dependent upon plant resources. During the study 6 species of Bryophytes (6
families), 53 species of Pteridophytes (9 families), 12 species of Gymnosperms (4
families), and 775 species of Angiosperms (108 families), were collected, preserved
and presented as checklist. The people of Kaghan Valley utilize 108 plant species as
medicinal plants. Majority of these medicinal plants are used for multiple purposes.
These include 91 species of Dicots, 09 species of Monocots, 06 species of
Gymnosperms and 02 species of Pteridophytes. Among these ethnobotanically
important plants, 27.77 % were found at risk regarding their conservation status.
2.77% were found critically endangered, 12.96 % endangered, 9.25 % vulnerable and
2.77 % near threatened. Seeds of 5 medicinal plants, i.e, Colchicum luteum,
Hyoscymus niger, Aconitum heterophyllum, Geranium wallichii and Paeonia emodii,
were collected from the wild and deposited at Forest Nursery Besian near Balakot as
an ex-situ conservation effort. Medicinal plants and edible mushrooms are produced
in bulk in Kaghan Valley and are considered as a fair source of income generation for
local communities. Beside these, potatoes, peas, beans, maize, walnut and apple also
yields good return. The floristic diversity of Kaghan Valley is threatened by the
effects of natural and human impacts. Natural causes are hailstorm, drought, snowfall,
thunderstorm and earthquake. Among the human causes, fuel wood consumption,
illicit cutting for timber, encroachment on forest land, lopping for fodder, grazing,
grass cutting, fires and tourism are important. For indigenous people in developing
countries like Pakistan where exploitation of environment is necessary for survival,
help is needed in constructing alternatives for sustainable development, in order to
establish biodiversity conservation much profitable. Multiple uses of forests,
development of agro-forestry, silviculture and sustainable exploitation of wild species
are some of the alternatives that have been suggested to be considered as future
strategy for the development of Kaghan Valley. This part of Himalayan region
contains immense biological resources of benefit mankind.