3/3/2015 1 Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects Parks & Recreational Facilities Division, ADM Dr. AbdulSattar Salih Al Mashhadani Landscape Expert ليةت النباتال ادخاحةقت اليا اتجميلية الزراعة ال مشاريعMunicipal Best Practices Forum, Abu Dhabi,UAE 18-19 April 2012 2 Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects CONTENT RELATED TERMS PREVIOUS WORKS CURRENT STATUS FUTURE VISION PROPOSED MECHANISMS PREPARED RELIABLE NPS INDEXES FOR LANDSCAPE PROJECTS ESTABLISH A NATIVE PLANT RESEARCH STATION CHALLENGES AND DIFFICULTIES RECOMMENDATIONS
Transcript
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Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects
Parks & Recreational Facilities Division, ADM Dr. AbdulSattar Salih Al Mashhadani
Landscape Expert
اآلليات املقرتحة إلدخال النباتات احمللية يف مشاريع الزراعة التجميلية
Municipal Best Practices Forum, Abu Dhabi,UAE 18-19 April 2012
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Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects
CONTENT
RELATED TERMS
PREVIOUS WORKS
CURRENT STATUS
FUTURE VISION
PROPOSED MECHANISMS
PREPARED RELIABLE NPS INDEXES FOR LANDSCAPE PROJECTS
ESTABLISH A NATIVE PLANT RESEARCH STATION
CHALLENGES AND DIFFICULTIES
RECOMMENDATIONS
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Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects
RELATED TERMS
Native plant is a general term to describe plants endemic (exclusively native), indigenous or naturalized to a given area in geologic time in response to physical and biotic processes characteristic of a certain region. Endemic species are those species of plants which are found exclusively in a particular area (native to a certain limited area). They are naturally not found anywhere else. "it is an endemic found only in this island“ The authors of “ Glossary of Expression in Biological Control” note that endemic should be used to describe a species that "occurs constantly in an area in small numbers and the term doesn’t describe a species that is native to only one particular area. Indigenous species are those species which are originating and living or occurring naturally in an area or environment. Indigenous plants are native to a specific local area of the country. , so it's a local native plant. Indigenous Plant = Local Native Plant An indigenous species is not necessarily endemic. In biology and ecology, endemic means exclusively native to the Biota of a specific place. An indigenous species may occur in areas other than the one under consideration.
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Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects
RELATED TERMS
Naturalized species: An intentionally or unintentionally introduced species that has adapted to and reproduce successfully in its new environment. So, the native plant can come from any part of our country, includes all its habitats: Coastal and Sabkha , desert Sand sheet and dunes, mountain. Natural landscaping (native gardening) is the use of native plants, including trees, shrubs, groundcover, and grasses which are indigenous to the geographic area of the garden. Non-native or Introduced species are species that have become able to survive and reproduce outside the habitats where they evolved or spread naturally.
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Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects
PREVIOUS WORKS
Scientific work on the flora, vegetation and habitats of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) commenced lately, and as Böer, B. & Chaudhary, S. A reported; Jongbloed (1987) and Western (1989) were the first monographs on the wildlife of the UAE (Böer & Al-Ansari 1999), Western (1989) gave 501 species of higher plants for the UAE and additional species have been reported by Karim (1991-93,1995).They added that Jongbloed listed 583 species (in his unpubl. Checklist 1996) and with the most significant additions a total of approximately 800 higher plants species were known from the UAE (Jongbloed, pers. comm. October 1999).
The most recent additions, which we considered them as reliable and applicable reference, was done by EAD (ERWDA 2004). They confirmed the previous mentioned total (800) of higher plants species. roughly 400 species are known for AD Emirate and fixed by EAD, and they represent 255 genera and 66 families.
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Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects
CURRENT STATUS
NPS that used in design work are relative rareness.
Some more suitable NPS are using in design work
Our greenery comprised primarily of non-native species.
The majority of non-NPS are introduced to our landscape randomly.
Non-NPS are high-maintenance and need substantial support systems to keep them alive.
Intentional, to sustain our natural resources, this practice has to be changed in the near future .
We can avoid all these problems if we :
Applying estimated steps toward discovering the potential features of NPS Adopt the proper selection of NPS for our landscaping projects.
Alternatively, our conventional designs have to be changed gradually too. This will achieved by adopting proper introduction to select suitable native species for new landscape designs. Therefore, the future designs will become traditional and given a specific identification of national landscape.
REMOVING NATIVE SPECIES FROM AN ECOSYSTEM IS LIKE TAKING RIVETS OUT OF AN AIRPLANE WING
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Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects
CURRENT STATUS
Recently, we found according to EAD lists that the average percentage of selected NPS in ornamental landscape projects (2010 – 2012) in Abu Dhabi city is between 35 -37% .
As it turns out that the percentage of NPS in the PRFD lists of drought and salt tolerant plant species have the same proportion (not less than 35%). This percentage could increase if we take into account the estimate of adaptive introduced species to the local environment conditions as well as the group of succulent species.
This percentage is distinct and has its promotional rank in the future of the sustainable change across our existent and new projects, after the adoption of the gradual introduction of a variety of native species suitable for ornamental landscape according to their environmental requirements.
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Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects
FUTURE VISION
Adopting a policy of cultivation of native plants that are tolerant to the local environmental conditions of Abu Dhabi contributes to the preservation of NPS and reducing costs ,energy and environment impacts. Benefits Less water consumption ( More water available for other usages). Less time and work ( Decreases manpower and saves energy) Reserve the NPS especially that are disappearing due to urbanization. Ensure food and shelter for birds, and other wildlife. Retain our own unique horticultural identity Strengthening capacities for drought & climate change impacts management.
In general, these processes require extensive meetings with scientific professionals (horticulturists, Taxonomists, Ecologists ,Seed collectors, Breeders...).
Achievement of this naturalistic approach will be one of fundamentals of environmental sustainability of natural resources.
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Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects
PROPOSED MECHANISMS
To achieve our vital mission, we are suggesting the following: Prepared reliable selective NPS indexes for landscape projects Establish a research station for NPS introducing the nursery management, planning tools, …
Our main mission is to naturalize Abu Dhabi greenery by introducing the appropriate NPS in landscaping Projects .
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Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects
PREPARED RELIABLE NPS INDEXES FOR LANDSCAPE PROJECTS
In terms of total number of species in EAD lists, it noted that the best represented families are the Poaceae (73),Leguminose ( 42) Asteraceae (37) and Chenopodiaceae (28).
The Major NP Families
Poaceae 73
Leguminose 42
Asteraceae 37
Chenopodiaceae 28
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Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects
PREPARED RELIABLE NPS INDEXES FOR LANDSCAPE PROJECTS
From the same lists , We noticed that the best represented Habitats (as shown below).
This result was relatively agreed by Shaltout, Kamal Hussein and others (2008) in their study “Vegetation Analysis of Some Desert Rangelands in United Arab Emirates”.
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Numbers of NPS Different Habitats
Sand Formations
Mountain & Wadis
Oases & Plantation
Offshore Island
Coastal Saline
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Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects
PREPARED RELIABLE NPS INDEXES FOR LANDSCAPE PROJECTS
The implementation stages of this proposal:
I. The basic preliminary stage
A) Preserve all the exist cultured and natural NS in all the lands of Abu Dhabi Emirate.
B) Relocate all the mature shrubs and trees that obstruct the elements of general safety with an Urban areas.
II. The implementation stages:
A) Prepare NPS lists for the most appropriate species for landscaping projects, according to:
1. Their Microenvironment, including all national habitats
2. Analytical characteristics of the plants, including ornamental, aromatic, forage, pharmaceutical poisonous, invasive species and other different manufacturing uses (as in next table).
Some of them have allelopathic behavior, Others are thorny or toxic in some of its parts or all….
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PLANTS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE Scientific name Family
Ornamental Plants
Abutilon pannosum (G.Forst.) Schltdl. الحمبوك
Amaranthus hybridus L. رعاف
Arundo donax L. القصب
Caralluma spp.
Convolvulus arvensis L. العليق
Dianthus spp.
Leptadenia pyrotechnica (Forssk.) Decne المرخ
Moringa peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori البان
Rumex vesicarius L. الحماض
Malvaceae
Amaranthaceae
Gramineae
Asclepiadaceae
Convolvulaceae
Caryophyllaceae
Asclepiadaceae
Moringaceae
Polygonaceae
Aromatic plants
Cymbopogon commutatus (Steud.)Stapf
Cymbopogon schoenanthus (L.)Spreng . األذخر
Ducrosia anethifolia )DC) Boiss.
Pulicaria glutinosa Jaub.& Spach
Poaceae
Poaceae
Apiaceae
Asteraceae
Poisonous Plants
Calotropis procera ( Aiton) W.T.Aiton األشخر
Chenopodium album L. ركب الجمل
Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad.
Cucumis prophetarum L.
Euphorbia granulata Forssk. الخنيز
Euphorbia helioscopia L.
Euphorbia larica Boiss. عسبج
Euphorbia peplis L. لبينه
Pergularia tomentosa L.
Rhazya stricta Decne. الحرمل
Ricinus communis L. الخروع
Solanum nigrum L. عنب الثعلب
Asclepiadaceae
Chenopodiaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Asclepiadaceae
Apocynaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Solanaceae
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Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects
ORNAMENTAL PLANTS (Oas)
Abutilon pannosum الحمبوك Dianthus cyri قرنفل
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Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects
ORNAMENTAL PLANTS (Roc)
Rumex vesicarius الحماض Moringa peregrina البان
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Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects
ORNAMENTAL PLANTS (Roc & Oas)
Lippia nodiflora L. michx. Phyla nodiflora (L.) Greene
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Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects
AROMATIC PLANTS
Cymbopogon commutatus Ducrosia anethifolia حزا
(Roc) (Dun, Pl & Roc)
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Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects
Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects
PREPARED RELIABLE NPS INDEXES FOR LANDSCAPE PROJECTS
This approach can lead us to screen and sort the suitable NPS for the purposes of landscaping and classify them according to: Their habitats, the level of drought, salt, wind tolerance ….
We have to focus an attention to the selective species with well growing for example on the sand dunes, such as; the Ramath shrubs of Haloxylon salicornicum (Photo: Allestree Fisher) and many others .which being most tolerant to drought and salinity.
B) there are a lot of exotic species in the current adaptive plant species used in landscaping projects, which can be sorted and classified according to their plant categories (as in next indexes).
Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects
PREPARED RELIABLE NPS INDEXES FOR LANDSCAPE PROJECTS
C) combined the lists of native and adaptive exotic species and prepared formally in order to be adopted by related administration.
New lists have to be available to work on selected projects landscaping by developers and designers.
Circulate the new species lists to native nursery station for the purpose of trailing their proper breeding and propagation.
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Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects
ESTABLISH A NATIVE PLANT RESEARCH STATION
Current state requires establishing a research station for the NPS (Includes a seed bank, nursery and botanical garden).
Basic characteristics for the station:
Availability of permanent well water source . Located in the area representing the whole desert habitat, close to the heart of the connected road
network between the Emirate cities. Its area not minimum than 35 hectares. The level of surface area is far from the level of ground water.
This station will launch the foundation and the nucleus that will rely on in making systematic change to the common landscape species composition.
It will maintain the WATER, one of most vital factors that limits the sustainable development in the Emirate.
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ESTABLISH A NATIVE PLANT RESEARCH STATION
Plant Production Planning
Helpful tools:
Nursery calendars, Plant development registers, Nursery inventories and Records of nursery experiments.
All are needed for both production management and research.
Each plant species has to be selected on the basis of its:
physical appearance and growth characteristics, cultural requirement and environmental tolerances, and potential for design use.
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ESTABLISH A NATIVE PLANT RESEARCH STATION
Plant Production Planning
Essential Nursery Practices
Worker's periodical training (weekly, monthly). Well Identification of NPS for ornamental purposes. Identify the seed treatments of each species. Understand the three growth phases of the plants and their requirements. Develop schedules for plant production . Establish an earlier specialized area for native mother plants. List space, labor, equipment, and supplies required to support the production. Keep written records, including a daily systematic record. Develop and record accurate propagation protocols to maintain the success.
As the nursery grows in size and complexity, the value of written records similarly increases
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Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects
CHALLENGES AND DIFFICULTIES
Obtaining the acceptance and adoption of the policy of natural change in Abu Dhabi landscape projects
Weakness of the scientific research in related subject, in terms of the scientific staff, space and technical equipments.
Lack of available information about the NPS characteristics and their suitability for landscape projects.
Random introduction of plant species by the people, private plant nurseries that targeting commercial purposes
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Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects
RECOMMENDATIONS
Enlightenment about the positive results of the transformation process of the cultivation of NS on the environment and the sustainability of natural resources within the corridors of decision-makers.
Adopt consultative approach with related partners to ensure that the ornamental curve of NPS usage will harmonize alongside the other evolving land uses such as; Urbanization, farms establishment, afforestation …) instead of competing with it.
Looking to obtain official approval to adopt the process of transformation for the cultivation of local species.
Need to apply the legal restricted regulations governing the trading activities of whole plant categories (Inside & Outside country) - especially by private plant nurseries.
Public awareness about the importance of planting native species .
Enhance all the means that work to refresh and develop the wild flora to ensure its survivability.
Adopt our proposal to establish a research station for the NPS (Includes a seed bank, central nursery and botanical garden).
Invite related specialists to propose comprehensive plan for a native plant project.
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شكرا Thank You
Proposed Mechanisms for Introducing Native Plants in Landscaping Projects
