Conserving plant species in the Arabian Peninsula is desperately needed since the rapid development and progressive lifestyle of the human population has put great strains on the naturally occurring species of the region. Conserving nature is in accordance with the traditions and the teachings of Islam, which is the prevalent religion of the people of Arabia. For this purpose UNESCO office in Doha is gathering a team of architects, botanists, vegetation ecologists and Muslim scholars to generate a network of Botanical Gardens in the region with the focus on the regional flora, environment, cultural heritage and education.

Plant species The plants mentioned in the Holy Quran and the medicinal plants, which have been used in the Islamic traditions and were cited by the Prophet Mohammed, will be displayed in the garden. Additional important species from regional ecosystems such as coastal and mountainous regions, sandy areas, gravel desert, Wadis, oases and aquatic habitats together with a number of agricultural plants will be added to the gardens.

©Photo:Benno Boer

Caption: Beach lavender (Limonium axillare) occurs in the coastal areas of the Gulf.

©Photo:Guido Licciardi

Design of the garden The design of the garden will respect the two major landscaping concepts of the Islamic garden cultures. The first is based on typical arid environments (e.g., the Arabian concepts of Wadi, Baadiya, Raudhas, sandy area, and oasis) and the second is characterized by landscaping designs such as the Persian concepts of Chaharbagh, Gulistan and Bustan. The core of the Garden will feature an orderly display of plants arranged in four quarters and divided by water canals, with a fountain or a water basin at the centre. Sunken flowerbeds, an ingenious traditional system motivated by the need for irrigation to reduce soil evaporation and plant transpiration, will be added to enrich the core. Plants representing different regional ecosystems will be displayed around the core in separate areas.

Caption: Contemporary garden in Isfahan (Iran) The Plan is based on the quadripartite concept found both in the regional traditions and the Holy Quran.

Current activities
Currently, UNESCO Office in Doha is putting this project into practice in Emirate of Sharjah, where the Ruler of Sharjah, His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, invited UNESCO to develop a full-fledged master plan. The Sharjah Garden will aim to include ex situ conservation of the flora of the entire Arabian Peninsula. This will comprise of halophytes and flora from the sand desert, gravel desert, mountains and coastal regions, totaling several thousand species. In Qatar, UNESCO in conjunction with Qatar Foundation is developing a master plan that aims to conserve ex situ the flora of Qatar, which comprises of more than 300 species.