Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Ramadan 17, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Green wealth: handle with care

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SUSTAINABILITY is a way of life, and not just a buzzword. It needs serious efforts to protect nature at a time when there is rush for development everywhere without understanding the true definition of development.


Compromising true assets of a place for the sake of high-rise buildings and fancy-looking hypermarkets cannot be termed development.


Native flora and fauna are assets found in a particular geographical location. They are unique and exclusive to that location and it has been found the potency of the property of a particular plant varies even if the same species are found in different locations.


The situation calls for greater role of different development agencies while deciding projects. There should be cohesiveness in decision-making in which the environment agencies should be allowed to play a role in telling the development agencies what sort of flora and fauna existed in the proposed project area.


This becomes more important in case of Oman, which is home to over 1,200 species of plants. The fact is suggested by a source in the Oman Botanic Garden, which showcases a wide range of flora, illustrating variety, beauty and fascination. It also displays the tiny violet flowers of wild lavender, the majestic juniper and the valuable frankincense tree for which Oman is famed.


“Any garden needs plants, but Oman’s native and endangered species cannot just be bought. Instead, each has to be found, collected as seeds or cuttings, recorded, numbered, labelled, packed, cleaned, grown and cared for by the garden’s dedicated ‘Green Team’ of botanists and horticulturalists. The botany expeditions to remote areas of the country have discovered new plant species and found plants not previously known in Oman. From zero plants in 2006, the number of plants at the nursery has grown to 100,000 plants of 350 species in 2010. This makes the nursery the largest documented collection of Arabian plants in the world,” said the Oman Botanic Garden sources.


In Oman, Dhofar stores most of the plant species. Dhofar, mainly suburban Salalah, figures prominently in the vegetation map of Oman as 800 plant species out of a total of 1,200 identified species in Oman are found here.


Among these plants there are several rare medicinal plants, which are yet to be documented in terms of their value. Some experts find the land natural home to many medical plants with high potency and purity.


An expert in Ayurveda claims to have identified 60 such plants and admits there are many more which need to be documented and protected properly.


The agencies have risen to the occasion by taking up the cause of planting native trees across Dhofar. Some 20,000 native trees were planted in Dhofar in 2012-13 under a campaign launched by the Environment Society of Oman (ESO). Many public and private sector agencies took active part in the drive.


Dr Kapil Sreekumar has conducted an extensive study on Dhofari medicinal plants and claims the potency of medicinal quality of some of the plants are high in comparison to the same species found in his native place in India. He called for proper identification and conservation of these species.


He emphasised on the commercial value of these plants and called for their proper protection through organised plantation. “There has been a huge demand for such plants because globally people are going for pure medicinal plant products. The commercial value of medicinal plants will increase in coming years. For example, Gum Arabic (Acacia Senegal) is used for inflammation of stomach. Its market value is huge. So is Satavari (Asparagus racemosus). In certain Ayurvedic decoctions, we use more than 30 drugs and in tablets more than 50 drugs. The commercial value of plants that are listed as extinct is even higher.”


US citizen Oscar Richardson, who took part in one of plantation drives in Salalah, found the initiative “refreshing to see the commitment to trees. With the investment in trees the region should experience many years of environmental and aesthetic benefits. Plus, it will encourage community involvement and education”.


He also emphasised on development without disturbing the true nature of the country.


Kaushalendra Singh


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