Activities carried out at the Zagros Botanical Garden

Document Type : Scientific Letters

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Natural Resources Research Department, Lorestan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization,, Khorramabad, Iran,

2 -Associate Professor, Institude of forest and rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Tehran, Iran

3 Professor, Institude of forest and rangelands, Botanical Research Department, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Tehran, Iran.

10.22092/irn.2026.372550.1725

Abstract

In situ and ex situ conservation are two essential strategies for protecting plant diversity. One way to protect species outside their habitat is to establish botanical gardens. Given that the Zagros Mountains are considered one of the 20th global biodiversity hotspots, the establishment of the Zagros Botanical Garden was put on the agenda of the National Forest and Rangeland Research Institute, focusing on the ex situ conservation of plants in the Zagros region, especially endangered, endemic, and economically valuable species, as well as to domesticate genetic resources, developing sustainable cultivation and exploitation methods for rare plant species, and educating the public and increasing awareness in the field of biodiversity conservation. This garden began its activities in 2018, covering an area of 12 ha. As a result of the measures taken, about 300 plant species have been established and adapted in 6 separate and specialized collections, including the collection of - medicinal and edible species including rare and endangered plant species with economic value and comparative advantage, - wild and native fruit tree species, - native trees and shrubs of the Northern Zagros (Kurdistan and southern Azerbaijan), - native trees and shrubs of the Southern Zagros (Kermanshah, Lorestan, Bakhtiari and Boyer-Ahmad), - plants dependent on humidity in the Zagros region, and - systematic garden.

Keywords

References

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Iran Nature
Volume 11, Issue 2 - Serial Number 57
July and August 2026
Pages 23-43

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