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NON WOODEN PLANT RESOURCE USE IN MIANDAM VALLEY SWAT

Fazal Amin1, Habib Ahmad2 and Haidar Ali3

1
Department of Botany, University of Peshawar, Peshawar
2
Department of Genetics, Hazara University Mansehra, Pakistan
3
Institute of Plant Sciences and Biodiversity, University of Swat, Pakistan

ABSTRACT
Non wooden plant resources are the emerging tools for
providing better livelihood opportunities to communities and reducing
pressure on forest for timber extraction. Miandam valley is the rich
biodiversity center, providing habitat to these resources. This study
was focused mainly to sort out potential in the forest resources of the
valley to subsidize and provide alternate income sources to
community. Field survey and estimation shows that the non wooden
plant resources of the valley, gives subsidy of about 19.5 million
rupees, to the local people. Among fruits, share of Juglans regia and
Diospyrus kaki are 13.5 million rupees and are the main forest
produce, which are extracted from the valley. People of the area have
traditional knowledge regarding the use of medicinal and aromatic
plants. They use these plants for satisfying basic requirements of
health care. Beside this medicinal plants of the valley play important
role and also provide alternate earning source to community of the
area. Among medicinal plants, majority of collectors generally practice
collection of Viola canescens, Aconitum violaceum var. violaceum,
Bistorta amplexicaule, Podophyllum hexandrum and Paeonia emodi for
sale in the market. The locals are earning about 3.5 million rupees
annually through trade of these medicinal plants. The unsustainable
collection practices are resulting in reduction of quantity and quality of
these NWPRs. The potential of these NWPRs can further be increased
by providing basic skills regarding sustainable pre and post harvest
methods of these plant resources. This will directly reduce poverty of
the locals. Other important non wooden plant resources from the
valley are vegetables, honey, gums and fodder providing good return
to people of the area.

Key words: Non Wooded Plant Resources, medicinal plants, Miandam

INTRODUCTION
The study area
Miandam valley is one of the most important biodiversity
centres in Swat. It is located at 350 02’ N and 720 33’ E (Rehman,
2003). The valley is situated on Northeastern side of Saidu Sharif at a
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distance of 56km. The valley comprises of 5 villages, i.e. Jukhtai,

Brahampatai, Sanay, Khair Abad and Miandam with high altitudinal
variation, ranging from 1310m at Fatehpur tehsil to 3800m at Ghujalo
Sar being the highest peak of the valley. The valley comes under
Hindu Raj mountainous series of Hindu Kush region. As a result of
variation in altitude and climatic conditions a gradient of various zones
ranging from temperate to alpine are formed which indicates massive
wealth of life forms in the valley. Climatically the area falls within the
Moist Temperate Zone (Ahmad & Sirajuddin, 1996) with heavy rains
and snowfall in winter and pleasant summer. According to the data
obtained from the meteorological department (Anon., 2010) the
average mean daily maximum and minimum temperature of the year
are 13.96°C and 6.41°C respectively. June and July are the hottest
months of the year with a mean daily maximum temperature of
23.2°C and 22.25°C respectively. The mean minimum temperature
during these two months (June and July) is 13.40°C and 13.75°C
respectively. December, January and February are the coldest months
of the year having a mean daily maximum temperature of 5.1°C,
3.95°C and 4.7°C respectively, while mean minimum temperature for
these months are 0.5°C, 1.65°C and -1.2°C respectively. The mean
annual rainfall is 1777mm while mean monthly rainfall is 148 mm.
Maximum rainfalls occurs during the months of July and August with a
mean total rainfall of 228.9mm and 220.9mm respectively.
Total population of the area is 20,259 individuals. Male female
ratio is 51.6 and 48.4 respectively. Gujars and yousafzai are the two
main tribes reside in the valley. These tribes have centuries of old
traditional ways of plant resource use and are still depending on these
resources for their subsistence. Due to over population and
unsustainable use these resources are under severe pressure.
Forests have always been recognized as rich reservoirs of
precious genetic and organic resources. According to the
phytogeographical analysis of Pakistan, the valley comes under the
Sino-Japanese region (Ali and Qaisar, 1986). It has established the
Himalayan Moist Temperate Forest zone with the Temperate Sub-
Alpine and Alpine regions (Champion et al., 1965; Beg and Khan,
1974; Ahmad, 1995), where the characteristic vegetation is generally
dominated by the Pinus wallichiana, Abies pindrow and Picea smithiana
with other associated species. The heavy deforestation in recent years
in the valley resulted in many barren gaps without the vegetation
cover. The main affected tree species are the Pinus wallichiana
andTaxus fuana for timber and Quercus spp. for fuel wood, ruthless
cutting of which for very nominal gain affect the vegetation structure
and its population. The natural population of Yew is in decline and its
situation is further agreviated (Amin et al., 2003). Previously good
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patches of its population were present which are uprooted and only
scattered regenerations are present (Figure 1).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study area has been visited for two consecutive years
starting from the early spring up till the end of fall 2006. All the major
villages including Jukhtai, Brahampatai, Sanay, Khair Abad and
Miandam were extensively being studied for the potential of non
wooden plant resources and their utilization. Transect walks were
arranged to document the resource use in the valley. Plant specimens
have been collected, properly identified with the help of Flora of
Pakistan (Nasir & Ali, 1970-1989, (Nos. 1-190); Ali & Nasir 1989-
1991, (Nos. 191-193); Ali & Qaiser 1993-2010, (Nos. 194-217) and
submitted to the Govt. Jehanzeb College Herbarium. Various
stakeholders including collectors, middle men, national dealers and
exporters were interviewed on the spot and data were noted.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The history of biological resource use is as old as the human
civilization. With the passage of time, man has brought changes in its
use pattern (Ali and Qaiser, 2009). Various products from the resources
were used for different purposes e.g. medicines, clothes, food, shelter,
heating etc. The term non wooden plant resources refer to all the
renewable natural forest products, excluding timber and fuel wood
providing the livelihood opportunities to the communities. It has a wide
variety of products ranging from primary health care to food products.
These include medicinal plants, wild vegetables, wild fruits, morels and
honey etc. These resources have been the subject of man’s curiosity
since time immemorial (Constable, 1990). Every civilization has a
history of plant use. The Miandam valley has immense potential of non
wooden plant resources including medicinal plants and plays vital role in
generating subsistence and raising the economy of communities in the
form of cash earnings. According to our findings the share of non
wooden plant resources from Miandam valley is worth Rs.19.5 million
(Table 1).

Table 1. Capacity of NWPRs available in the valley.

Medicinal Morels &
Fruits Vegetables Honey Fodder Total
plants Mushrooms
Volume 16900
33000 63000 11000 720 100 107820
(Kgs) (bundles)
Price
(million 3.5 13.5 0.228 0.252 0.063 2.028 19.57
PKR)
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Poverty is common in the valley and livelihood needs of these

local people are fulfilled from plant resource use of the forest (Amin,
2006). These forest resources contribute significantly to the economy
of the community in many forms. For majority of the forest dwellers
and those rural populations these resources meet their survival needs.
The needs are generally for the construction of houses in the form of
timber, they need energy, which is extracted in the form of fuel,
fodder for livestock and for their health care they need medicinal
ingredients, which they get in the form of medicinal plants. Some of
the important non wooden plant resources are discussed as follows:
1. Medicinal Plants
Medicinal Plants provide primary health care services to more
than 80% of the rural communities (Anonymous, 2003). Apart from its
local use, the sale of wild medicinal plants constitute significantly to the
income of people especially in rural areas. The annual trade of medicinal
plants from different areas of Swat, was 6.806 million kg (worth of
Rs.1827.5 million) and 6.615 million kg (worth of Rs.1875.7 million),
during the years 2002-3 and 2003-4 respectively; this has provided
earning sources to thousands of people in the district (Ali et al., 2005).
Its wise use cannot only safeguard health but can also be used as a
good source of livelihood for the rural communities. The share of
medicinal plants from Miandam valley is Rs.3.5 million most important
among which is Aconitum violaceum var. violaceum (Figures 2, 3 & 5).
Very few of the medicinal plants are regularly traded from the valley.
The important most traded medicinal plants from the valley included
Viola, Valariana, Bistorta, Berberis, Adiantum, Paeonia and Colchicum
etc. Generally children and women collect these commercially important
species (Figure 2). The collected products are spread on the roofs of
their houses and big stones on the riversides (Figure 5) for drying. The
dried plants are then sold in the market. Beside the marketable plant
species, there are many medicinal plants, which are used by the local
community for their primary health care, most common among which
are Ajuga bracteosa, Berberis lycium and Mentha longifolia.
2. Fruits
Various wild fruits present in the forest of the valley are
extracted by the local community for their domestic and commercial
purposes. Among these Juglans regia, Diospyrus kaki and Diospyrus
lotus collectively provide 13.5 million rupees to the locals. These three
species provide main income to the community. There are many other
fruits in the valley which are consumed by the local people but not
traded in the market; these include Ficus spp., Fragaria (wild spp.)
Morus spp., fruits of Quercus spp., Viburnum spp. and Zizipus spp.
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Figure 1. Highly disturbed and scattered patch of Taxus fuana

Nan Li & R.R.Mill in Miandam valley.

Figure 2. Mostly children are involved in the collection of these

highly valuable medicinal plants (e.g. Aconitum).
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Figure 3. Unsustainably collected rhizomes of Aconitum

violaceum var. violaceum.

3. Vegetables
Local community practices collection of wild vegetables for
satisfying their needs.Woman and children are mainly responsible for
collection of these vegetables. The economically important vegetable
species are Caltha alba, Dryopteris spp. and Carralluma edulis, while
many of the vegetables are extracted for self-use only. About 6 bags
of the floral shoots of Caltha alba “Makhan Pat’’ (Figure 4), daily
extracted from the valley during the months of March up till the end of
July. The weight of each bag varied from 30 to 35 kg per bag whereas;
price per kg on average remains Rs.10/kg. It gives the subsistence of
Rs. 2,28,000 per year to the poor community of the valley.
4. Condiments
Condiments are used to produce the taste in the food. Few
species are available in the valley which is used as condiments. The
population and abundance level of these species is not up to the mark,
but these are only extracted for self-use. The species includes
Zanthoxylum alatum, Feoniculum vulgare, Bunium persicum and
Carum carvi.
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Figure 4. Caltha alba in its natural habitat.

Figure 5. The collected rhizomes of Aconitum violaceum

var. violaceum and other medicinal plants are
unhygienically spread for drying.
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5. Morels/ Mushrooms
Morels play an important role in the economy of forest dwellers
especially in Pakistan. Due to the high market price of Morels, local
people have more preferences for their trade rather than their local
use. Different species of Morchella are growing in the forest of the
valley. These could be differentiated by their own name given on the
basis of their association with certain plants and colors. Miandam
valley produced 100 kg of morels in the year 2005 sold on variable
prices, ranging from 6000 to 6600 per kg, giving an average earn of
about 6,30,000 rupees. There are various types of mushrooms, many
are edible types and very few of which are poisonous. The practice of
mushrooms collection is generally for self-use. The people collect the
edible mushrooms; they are cooked having very delicious taste.
6. Honey
Honey is another important product from the valley. About 120
wild bee hives are present at various locations in the valley. Local
people use indigenous methods for honey extraction. The bees
generally use flowers of two plant species i.e. Isodon rugosus (Wall. ex
Benth.) Codd and Trifolium repens L. giving two different types of
honey which can be differentiated on the basis of their taste. An
estimated 6 kg of wild honey is produced per hive. The price of honey
is Rs.350 per kg providing total circulation of Rs.2,52,000. Beside the
domestic bee keeping practices only the middlemen are involved in
their trade.
7. Gums and Resins
Gums are the important forest resource of the valley. Because
of the excessive abundance of the forest cover, previously extraction
of gums was of common practice by inhabitants of the area. The gums
are generally extracted from trees of Pinus spp., Taxus spp., Abies
spp. and Picea spp. The locals usually make a deep cut in the main
stem of tree and leave it for few days, exude flow from the cut area,
which is then collected and dried. The extraction is done both for
commercial and domestic purposes whereas, no exact quantity is
known.
8. Thatching plants
Houses in the valley are usually made in their traditional way.
The whole shoots of Isodon rogosus and Indigofera hetrantha are the
commonly used plants for thaching purposes. The local community
also uses these thatching plants for shelter and making roofs of the
houses.
9. Fodder
Fodder species are the main components of the forest
resources. Beside grasses foliage of many trees and shrubs provide
forage for cattles during winter season. During summer the alpine
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pastures are the main sources of fodder for livestock of the area and
nomads from outside. The pastures are given on lease at fixed price on
very nominal terms for the whole season or they agree upon per head
(cattle), which is about 20 to 35 rupees per cattle per season.
Rough estimate of fodder collection shows that about 120
bundles are collected daily having the price of 80 to 100 rupees. About
85% of the collected fodder is used for their own cattles, while only
15% is sold. The extraction begins from March to October, providing
subsidy of about 20,28,000 rupees.
Extraction rate of NWPRs from the valley
Miandam valley proves its mammoth potential for the Non
Wooden Plant Resources (NWPRs) worth Rs. 19.5 million. Among
which the share of medicinal plants is 33000kg worth Rs. 3.5 million
and the share of fruits is 630000kgs worth Rs. 13.5 million. As
demand for the plant resources especially medicinal plants is
increasing day by day, resulting in the increase of harvest rate.
Though the trade volume from the valley is large and of significant
value, but the harvesting practices are unsustainable and are not up to
the scientific standard. The result is that the plant resource is facing
threat of degradation in the valley, and a large number of species are
becoming threatened.
The harvesting potentials of these medicinal plants could be
raised up to double by providing proper training to collectors.
Generally, children and women are involved in the collection and
processing of the medicinal plants from the forest (Figure 6), so it is
necessary to build the capacity of these collectors.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Main income from the valley comes from the fruits of Juglans
regia and Diospyros kaki. The degraded gaps should be filled
through the cultivation of improved verities of the species. It
will not only enhance the income of the people but also
rehabilitate the natural beauty and environment of the valley.
2. The natural forest resources including medicinal plants are
being unsustainably collected and sold to the local market for
very nominal gain. Training on the medicinal plants
harvesting techniques are needed for building the capacity of
the locals to safeguard the biodiversity on one side and
increase their income on the other side through betterment of
quality.
3. The species of Indigofera and Isodon has good population in
the valley. Both the species could be used for making baskets
on commercial level. Capacity building is needed in this regard
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of the local community. This will increase the livelihood

opportunities of the locals.
4. The valley has potentials of honey production. Trainings are
needed to the local community for practicing the apiculture.

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