About Botanic Garden

The GCU Botanic Garden is being managed by the Department since 1912. It covers an area of seven acres. Since its establishment, the Botanic Garden has been appropriately looked after and well kept. It includes a number of wild flora as well as exotic and rare species. Presently, the Botanic Garden is home to 700 species. Dr. A. U. Khan has made a noteworthy contribution to the Department by publishing an index of the plant species present in the Garden entitled "Catalogue of Plants of GC University Lahore Botanic Garden" (1996). Another concise booklet entitled "A Brief Guide to Government College Lahore Botanic Garden" (2007) provides a historical overview of the Garden.

Pakistan Botanic Gardens Network Secretariat (PBGN) has published a report covering Jan 2007-Dec 2008. Please click here to read the contents of the report.

GCU Botanic Garden organized a 2nd Pakistan Botanic Gardens Conference on "Botanic Garden: A Vehicle to Strengthen the Public/private/NGO partnership for plant conservation" from February 02 to 04, 2009.

News & Events

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GCU SETS UP BOTANIC GARDENS SECRETARIAT

The GC University Lahore has established Pakistan Botanic Gardens Network Secretariat (PBGNC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment for linking all the botanic gardens and conservation and sustainable use of Pakistan’s unique environment, botanical and cultural heritage. Federal Minister for Environment Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi was the chief guest at the inauguration the Secretariat and the PGBNC’s first seminar on ‘Conserving and Restoring the Undesignated Remnants of Natural Plant Communities’. GCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Khalid Aftab chaired the seminar which was marked by heated debates on five potential undesignated remnants of natural vegetation which have been identified and characterized by PBGNC researchers as scarce habitats vulnerable to local extinction.  

The Federal Minister laid a particular stress on raising awareness among the people about environment related issues. He says “environmental degradation is not a natural calamity; it is something which is directly related to us, caused by us and can be only preserved by us.” He said that the Ministry of Environment have been making efforts to lunch a mass awareness campaign to save our environment.

GCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Khalid Aftab said education in 21st century has become highly innovative and the biggest challenge is to make the Interdisciplinary Research more and more productive. He said that its time to dissolve the boundaries of academic departments within academic institutions and increase cooperation between various disciplines to cultivate an environment for research. He said that the synergy is the slogan which needs to be adopted. He motivated the researchers, saying that the scientists at Kew Gardens have saved the smallest water lily from extinction, as the tiny plant had vanished from its only known hot springs location in Africa. He said that experts worked for several years on the plant but the discovery to propagate the plant just came in the nick of time, as the species had not only vanished from its only site in the wild but one of the last two remaining plants was also eaten by a rat.  

The remnants including Harrapa Forest, Butea Forest and Pirch Forest were presented as case studies before the experts during the technical sessions of the seminar. “Analysis show that remnants have changed substantially in extent, configuration and composition but they persisted through a long period of landscape change and comprise important reservoirs of bio-diversity which will retain biotic and important for understanding and restoring native ecosystem,” said noted environmentalist and PBGNC Director Dr Aminul Haq while addressing the seminar.

Faiza Sharif, Muhammad Umar Hayat and Laila Shahzad presented research papers in the technical sessions of the seminar. 

(21-05-2010)

Inaugural Ceremony of

Pakistan Botanic Gardens Network Secretariat

and

One Day Seminar on
Conserving and Restoring the Undesignated Remnants of Natural Plant Communities

Programme

Thursday 20^th May 2010

Inaugural Session

                                       Programme

(20-05-2010)

THE GREEN REFLECTION OF THE CITY OF GARDENS HAS BEEN POLLUTED: VICE CHANCELLOR GCU LAHORE

Climate change is the most serious challenge of the 21st century. It is affecting humans, animals and plants from Deep Ocean to highest mountains. These views were expressed by the speakers at the inaugural session of the international workshop on “Preservation and Enhancement of Biodiversity: Application of Tree Rings in Pakistan” at the Bokhari Auditorium.

Addressing the workshop, Prof. Dr Khalid Aftab Vice Chancellor GCU said that there was a time when environment was the issue of the developed world and developing world was focusing on basic essentials “but now environment is the issue of developing world too”. He said pollution is damaging the environment and creating bad effects on health. He congratulates the department of Botany for organizing workshop on and important issue.

Sajjad Saleem Hotiana Secretary Environment Protection Department Punjab Government said Biodiversity was the new concept of Pakistan and we were focusing on this part. He said, the IUCN Red List estimates that 12-52% of species and vascular plants are threatened with extinction. He further said that Climate is impacting people, animals, plants and natural environment. He said Climate change will seriously affect humans, our environment, our health and our security. “Rising sea levels, wildfires, floods, droughts and storms will become more common, and upto 30 percent of the planet’s plant and animal species could become extinct”.

Prof. Jonathan Palmer a world known expert of tree rings from university of Oakland Newzeland delivered a presentation on tree rings and forest management.

Chairperson Department of the Botany Dr. Zaheer-u-Din delivered welcome address and discussed the importance of environment in modern age. Dean Faculty of Science and Technology Prof. Dr. Amin-ul-Haq, guest faculty members of other universities and students were present.    

(06-10-2009)

PAKISTAN BOTANIC GARDENS CONFERENCE CONTINUES SECOND DAY AT GCU LAHORE

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The second Pakistan Botanic Gardens Conference proceedings entered the second day at Fazl-e-Husain Reading Room of GCU. A total of nine presentations were given on plants diversity and sustainable use of nature resources and Botanic Gardens Research, Education and Public Awareness Programs. A committee headed by Director PBGN. Prof. Dr. Amin Ul Haq Khan made the recommendations. The other members were Dr. G. Raza Bhatti (Sindh) Dr. R. B. Tareen (Baluchistan) Dr. Abdul Rasheed (NWFP) and Dr. M. Afzal (Punjab).

(04-02-2009)

GCU BOTANIC GARDEN TO HELP CONSERVE COUNTRY’S BIODIVERSITY

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The Inspector General (Forest) Pakistan Muhammad Iqbal Sial has said the role of Botanic Garden is to preserve the precious plants, to promote gardening and to make the environment green and healthy. He was speaking at the second Pakistan Botanic Garden Conference at GC University Lahore. He said federal government was very much serious to promote the forest in Pakistan. He said Botanic Gardens were now recognized as centers of plant conservation world wide. GC University Botanic Garden being the Oldest Garden of the country and now also the Secretariat of Pakistan Botanic Gardens Network has assured the responsibility of promoting the establishment of conservation of biodiversity units in the country in the form of Botanic Garden and In-Situ reserves. Inspector General Forest said that it was on 24^th March 2006, the signing of the ‘Lahore Statement’ on botanic gardens of Pakistan that laid the foundation of Pakistan Botanic Garden Secretariat in GC University Lahore, with a vision that it will emerge as a partner in the conservation and sustainable use of Pakistan’s unique environment, botanical and cultural heritage. Realizing the significance of increasing role of Botanic Garden in conservation of biodiversity, Ministry of Environment, Government of Pakistan, supported the vision and immediately wished to establish a partnership by providing funds for that purpose.

Speaking on the occasion the GCU Vice Chancellor said Lahore was the city of gardens but unfortunately the healthy and green reflection of the city had been damaged which was a big question mark for us. He stressed the promotion of the gardens and green environment but was also necessary for human health and future of the country. He urged the people to become lovers of plants and birds.

GCU’s Dean of Sciences and Technology Dr. Amin-ul-Haq and Faiza Sharif also spoke on the occasion.

 (03-02-2009)

EPA AND GCU TO LAUNCH BIODIVERSITY PARK

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The Environment Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with the GCU will launch a new Biodiversity Park next year. The GCU’s botanical garden would be changed into the park as it contains rare species of flora and fauna. GCU’s botanical garden, situated at Lawrence Gardens, would be converted into a Biodiversity Park next year. All students would be educated about imported, seasonal and extinct species of flora. She said that some rare trees, like the Jack Fruit and trees from far off regions like Tulsi, Banafsha Isapghol, would also be planted. Different varieties of trees and plants would be grown so that butterflies would be attracted to them. It is pertinent to mention that the EPA’s aim with the project was to save the extinct species of flora and fauna so experts had been hired for their preservation.

The EPA had approved a project worth Rs 10 million on October 18, 2007, for the preservation and enhancement of biodiversity through the botanical garden of GCU for its fiscal year 2007-08. The objective of the project was the improvement in the existing botanical garden and the introduction of new species of flora and fauna. The EPA gave Rs 5 million to GCU in May 2008. The amount of Rs. 5 million also has been allocated to EPA for the project in its budget for fiscal year 2008-09.

GCU Botany Department Chairman Dr. Zaheer Khan would be the Project’s Coordinator. He said that 60 percent of the trees planted in the garden would be ones that could survive in ordinary conditions. He said that 40 percent of acclimatised plants would be grown. He said that acclimatised trees would be imported from China, Holland and Australia. The project in-charge said in the last month the EPA had given Rs 5 million to GCU. He said that butterflies would be imported and kept in nests beside each flower tree. He said that aquatic plants would also be grown and fresh water snails, tortoises and other species would also be kept.

(30-06-2008)

Contact Us

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Prof. Dr. Amin-ul-Haq Khan

Director, Sustainable Development Study Centre

Science Block Building

GC University, Lahore

UAN: 111-000-010 Ext: 256

Ph: +92-42-99213357-62/ext 256

Ph: 99213698 (Direct)

Ph: 36118849 (Botanic Garden Adjacent Lahore Zoo)