By Azam Tariq

China’s expanding efforts to conserve wild plants through large-scale seed banks, botanical gardens and habitat protection are emerging as a model that could help Pakistan strengthen biodiversity preservation and unlock economic potential from its native plant resources.

China’s approach combines protection of species in their natural habitats with scientific preservation in controlled facilities such as germplasm banks and research laboratories. According to a a report by China Daily, China has significantly expanded its biodiversity protection framework through large-scale institutional support.

The country has established seven national forest and grass germplasm resource banks that preserve more than 28,000 wild plant species. In addition, China has set up two national botanical gardens and three key laboratories dedicated to plant research and conservation. More than 300 species have been successfully reintroduced into the wild, while over 500 in-situ conservation sites have been established across the country.

The report noted that these measures have brought about 65 percent of higher plant communities and 80 percent of key state-protected wild plant species under effective protection.

Experts believe adopting similar mechanisms could help Pakistan better safeguard its biodiversity while supporting research, community livelihoods and the sustainable use of medicinal and forest plants.

Dr. Hidayat Ullah, Associate Professor of Agri-Economics at the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) Islamabad, told Wealth Pakistan that China’s biodiversity protection efforts highlight the importance of long-term planning and institutional continuity.

“China's policy interventions vis-a-vis preserving, documenting, conserving and propagating its immense biodiversity via ex situ (controlled environment lab-based preservation) and in situ (natural propagation and open-air multiplication) techniques are a great success, and there is a lot for countries like Pakistan to learn from this experience,” he said.

He said Pakistan could adapt similar mechanisms by strengthening seed preservation systems, establishing germplasm banks and expanding community participation in conservation initiatives.

Referring to Pakistan’s Billion Tree Tsunami Initiative, Dr. Hidayat said the programme already provides a useful foundation because it links forest expansion with community engagement and environmental stewardship.

However, he noted that the initiative could be expanded further by integrating additional elements of China’s conservation framework, including regional germplasm banks, community seed vaults and stronger research partnerships between universities and conservation institutions.

He also highlighted the need to train micro-nursery managers, community foresters and women conservation workers so that biodiversity protection efforts generate employment while strengthening environmental protection.

According to him, conservation programmes are more effective when local communities see a direct economic benefit through community-based seed banks, small-scale enterprises and sustainable harvesting of forest resources such as medicinal plants and herbs.

He said conservation cooperatives and community nurseries could help turn biodiversity protection into an economic activity that supports livelihoods while protecting native plant species.

Dr. Maha Rehman, Research Officer at the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR), Ministry of Science and Technology, told Wealth Pakistan that Pakistan already has a scientific foundation to build stronger plant conservation systems.

She noted that protected areas across the country play an important role in preserving biodiversity, including medicinal plants, but many valuable species grow outside these zones and remain vulnerable to overharvesting and habitat degradation.

“Pakistan has the scientific capacity through universities and research institutes to develop germplasm banks and botanical collections,” she said.

However, she added that limited funding, a lack of specialised infrastructure and weak coordination among institutions continue to hinder the development of comprehensive plant conservation systems.

Rehman emphasised that stronger collaboration among universities, research organisations and government agencies would help improve the conservation of medicinal plant genetic resources.

She also pointed out that Pakistan’s medicinal plant sector has strong economic potential for the pharmaceutical and herbal industries, but stronger value chains, cultivation practices, quality control and research-industry linkages are needed to convert that potential into jobs and investment.

Experts believe that with stronger coordination, community participation and sustained investment, Pakistan could adapt elements of China’s biodiversity conservation model to protect native plant species while supporting research, livelihoods and future export opportunities.

Credit: INP-WealthPk