University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir

Description

The AKASH herbarium of Botany department, University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir contain approximately 10,000 plant specimen (screened May, 2019). This limited number of specimens is major constraint restricting Azad Kashmir form meeting its targets under the CBD: (viz; Global Strategy for Plant Conservation). Part of the difficulty is that the complete flora of Azad Jammu and Kashmir is not collected and the herbarium of Botany department is under-resourced. After devastating earthquake of 2005, very few plant specimens are collected which are not fully curated or entered into a database. Until this backlog is processed, it is difficult to assess that which species is collected or is present in this area. This herbarium development will help to understand serious threats to plant resources and to develop local conservation policy. The main purpose of the development of AKASH herbarium at UAJK Botany department is to ‘increase availability and access of plant data and enhance the capacity of local institutions to undertake scientific research, economic benefits sharing, and sustainable future and priority areas for conservation within Azad Kashmir. A key output of digitization of plant data is to create and enhanced capacity at local and global level to conduct botanical research, mapping and digitization of plant data of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Western Himalayas.

Contacts

ADMINISTRATIVE_POINT_OF_CONTACT
Tariq Habib
Telephone: 092-3469707166
email: tariqhabib76@gmail.com

POINT_OF_CONTACT
Tariq Habib
Telephone: 092-5822-960431
email: tariqhabib76@gmail.com

University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir
CMH Road
Muzaffarabad
13100
Azad Jammu and Kashmir
PK
email: tariqhabib76@gmail.com