By Saad Farooqi

1. URBAN FLORA OF PAKISTANURBAN FLORA OF PAKISTAN
Presented by:
SAAD FAROOQI
BS 6th
Semester
Department of Environmental and Conservation
Sciences
University of Swat
(Session 2012-16) 1

2. Urban Flora
Urban Flora is the plants life occurring in a
particular area or time,( i.e. Plants In city or town)
generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native
plant life.
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3. Urban Flora of Pakistan
• Pakistan's native flora reflects its varied climatic zones, which
range from arid and semi-arid to temperate and tropical.
• About 6,000 plants species estimated in Pakistan, it was
estimated that there is 465 such species endemic in urban
areas of Pakistan, Around 700 plant species are endangered.
• In Pakistan, Urban flora provide multiple services and
environmental benefits to urban environment.
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4. Urban flora exists in different habitats of
Pakistan:• Roadside verges:
Have the largest area and population of trees in roadside
verges in Pakistan.
Grass or plants species and sometimes also trees located
between the roadway.
Overwhelmingly dominated by native broadleaved trees
occupying 70% of its species.
(Islamabad Roadside verges) 4

5. Cont.
• Public parks:
The urban public parks in Pakistan are varied significantly in the
terms of area, age, and species-count and management pattern.
These parks include many exotic or introduced species.
Some famous Pakistan public parks are Rose and jasmine garden
Islamabad, Aladdin park Karachi, Jungle world Rawalpindi,
National bank park Lahore, Flora park Lahore, and Sozo water park
Lahore.
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6. Cont.
• Residential streets:
Street trees are important part of urban greenery in
Pakistan.
The common trees in streets of Pakistan are Morus alba,
Eugenia jambolana, Punica granatum.
• Graveyards:
graveyards mainly include shade trees.
Graveyards are relatively protected habitats, offer an
opportunity to study old and undisturbed vegetation in
urban areas.
• Institutions: The institutions contributed significantly to
urban forest diversity in Pakistan. 6

7. Cont.• The photograph shown below is that of huge tree standing
majestically in Abbottabd, planted somewhere around
1850.
• Poaceae is one of the largest families of flowering plants.
It consist of 492 species In Pakistan. And mainly found in
streets and roadside verges.
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8. Vegetation communities, green belts and parks in
Major cities:
• Islamabad:
Well-developed flora rich in abundance and variety.
Due to high-quality city planning, the native flora is not
much affected by the population.
Greenway concept in Islamabad evolved from 1960’s
strategies for beautifying roads to improve the landscape
quality.
Total 793 species reported
Having large green spaces and park areas, and high urban
settlements.
That’s why Islamabad capital declared as world’s 2nd
most
beautiful capital after London.
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9. Cont.
• Lahore:
Diverse range of natural and cultivated flora.
Much of the Indian flora was introduced during the reign
of Akbar, the third Mughal emperor.
Most of green belts of Lahore are decorated by extensive
flora.
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10. Cont.
• Karachi:
Karachi can be divided into four sections in terms of floral regimes
describes as under:
• Eastern boundaries: Malir river and its adjoining sites, having
diversity bushes,shrubs,trees & agriculture products.
• Southern boundaries: Having diversity vegetations, shrubs and
wild kekar trees.
• Northern boundaries: Surrounded by High Seas of Indian ocean,
large variety of mangrove vegetation.
• Western boundaries: nearby coastal areas, and also have natural
mangrove vegetation.
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11. Urban flora declining in Pakistan:
Unplanned urbanization has resulted in the destruction of natural
ecosystems in Pakistan.
I.e. Habitats such as parks, lawn, gardens.
Increase in population and demand of land for infrastructure
resulted in destruction of vegetation and planting sites.
Due to illegal cutting of trees.
In Pakistan, unregulated urban development and large scale
commercialization damaging urban tree-scape of cities causing
serious environmental issues.
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12. Management of Flora in Urban Areas:
• Urban Forestry:
Careful care and management of urban forests. i.e tree populations in
urban settings, support appropriate trees and flora preservation.
Urban foresters practiced by municipal and commercial arborists,
environmental policy makers, utility foresters, researchers, and
community activists.
Pakistan need urban forestry for the management of urban floras and
more plantations to improve the environment.
Their survival and development depends upon the public awareness and
acceptance of their benefits.
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