Botanic Gardens Conservation International By Claudia Bernardini Supported

Botanic Gardens Conservation International By Claudia Bernardini Supported by

MAN, GOD & NATURE ISLAM & CHRISTIANITY Humans are at the centre of the natural world Man has responsibility for his actions on Earth HINDUISM God’s presence is all around and through nature Humans are part of nature HUMANISM There is no God There is no ‘stewardship’ given to man Only human values and concerns are relevant Beyond their differences all these beliefs share the common view that human beings and the environment depend on each other for survival

HINDUISM There is no separation between the divine & the world of nature 'There is peace in heavenly region; there is peace in the environment; the water is cooling; herbs are healing; the plants are peace-giving; there is harmony in the celestial objects and perfection in knowledge; everything in the universe is peaceful; peace pervades everywhere. May that peace come to me!‘

ISLAM Man is responsible toward the rest of creation In Islam, every right is balanced by a responsability Human beings do not own the Earth “…Your Lord said unto the angels: “Lo! I am about to place a viceroy on the earth…” “Do you not see that God has made subject to you (humans) all that is on the earth” (Quran 2: 30 and 22: 65) Prophet Muhammad said “Everyone of you is a guardian and is responsible for his charges. The ruler who has authority over people is a guardian and is responsible for them” (Sahih Bukhari 3. 46. 730).

CHRISTIANITY God created the Earth and gave authority and responsibility to human beings for using it wisely Then God said “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground (Genesis 1: 26). The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. (Genesis 2: 15)

HUMANISM Only human beings are responsible for sorting out environmental problems Only human beings can find the way to a Sustainable existence Responsibly used, science & technology can help solve environmental problems

POMEGRANATE (Punica granatum) ISLAM ‘There is not a pomegranate which does not have a pip from one of the pomegranates of the Garden (of Jannah) in it. ’ CHRISTIANITY Symbol of Jesus' suffering & resurrection HINDUISM It symbolizes prosperity & fertility HISTORY Native to Persia & western Himalayan range Cultivated in Mediterranean region for several millennia MEDICAL PROPERTIES & TRADITIONAL USES Effective in reducing heart disease risk factors In Ayurveda: dysentery, coughs, nosebleeds, bone strengthening & stomach pain “Pomegranates: a super-food which can protect the heart” Picture 7: Sandro Botticelli: Madonna della Melagrana c. 1487. Galleria degli Uffizi, Firenze

OLIVE TREE (Olea europaea) ISLAM ‘And by it He makes crops grow for you and olives and dates and grapes and fruit of every kind. There is certainly a Sign in that for people who reflect’. (Surat an-Nahl, 11) CHRISTIANITY A dove holding an olive branch in its beak is the allegory of peace ORIGIN & HISTORY Symbol of the Mediterranean, of wealth, abundance, power & peace Reputation for long life, nourishment and ability to thrive in tough conditions Over 5, 000 years ago oil was being produced in the Mediterranean MEDICAL PROPERTIES & TRADITIONAL USES Food, fuel, medicine & embalming “The Greek poet Homer called olive oil 'liquid gold‘ Can you guess why? ” Picture 8: 90% of olives and oil come from the Mediterranean

THE SACRED FIGS PEEPAL (Ficus religiosa L ‘Aswattha’) HINDUISM Sacred to Hindus, Jains & Buddhists ORIGIN & HISTORY Native to India & South East Asia MEDICAL PROPERTIES & TRADITIONAL USES Ethno-medicinal properties: astringent anti-inflammatory, aphrodisiac, antibacterial, for diarrhoea, dysentery, burns, skin diseases, vomiting, asthma, cough, toothache, migraine, eye troubles, tuberculosis & fever Ayurved: antioxidant & for diabetes “Plant properties & indigenous knowledge. What do you know about ‘biopiracy’ & the ‘Convention on Biological Diversity’? ” Picture 9 a: Peepal leaf and other Ayurveda remedies Picture 9 b: Peepal as a sacred tree

THE SACRED FIGS BANYAN (Ficus benghalensis) HINDUISM India national tree sacred to Hindus & Buddhists In Hindu mythology 'the wish-fulfilling tree‘ Symbol of eternal life ORIGIN & HISTORY Native to India & Pakistan. It symbolizes the country’s unity The huge tree acts as a shield that protects from the sun MEDICAL PROPERTIES & TRADITIONAL USES For skin inflammations, bruising, dysentery, toothaches, ulcers, cooling & diabetes To produce adhesives, paper, ropes and toothpicks, hair and skin conditioner “Can you name other plants used to represent a country? ” Picture 10 a: Krishna sucking his toe, while lying on a banyan leaf Picture 10 b: Married Hindu women fast and worship the tree to lead a long and happy married life

COFFEE (Coffea arabica) HUMANISM 1655 - Tillyard’s coffeehouse (UK) - Oxford Coffee →The Royal Society 1686 - The Café Procope (Paris) - French Enlightenment ORIGIN & HISTORY Before 1000 AD- the Gallatribe (Ethiopia) use it as a stimulant 1100 - First coffee trees cultivated on the Arabian Peninsula 1600 - Italian traders introduce coffee to Europe 1652 - First free coffeehouse in England ‘Penny Universities’ MEDICAL PROPERTIES & TRADITIONAL USES Coffee is the world’s second most traded commodity after oil Worldwide there about 20 million coffee farming families. Around 100 million people depend on coffee for their livelihoods “Around 70% of the world’s coffee farmers are small-scale growers, and they face particular disadvantages in the market place. Do you know what Fairtrade is? ” Picture 11 a: More than 400 billion cups are consumed every year Picture 11 b: Fairtrade Mark

DATE PALM (Phoenix dactylifera) CHRISTIANITY Symbol of the victory of the faithful over enemies of the soul (Palm Sunday) ISLAM ‘Shake the trunk of the palm towards you and fresh, ripe dates will drop down onto you. Eat and drink and delight your eyes’ (Surah Maryam, 25 -26) ORIGIN & HISTORY Cultivated over 8, 000 years ago in Babylonia Date- from the Greek ‘finger’ for the fruit elongated shape MEDICAL PROPERTIES & TRADITIONAL USES Essential nutrients & good source of vitamin K Leaves used for huts, mats, screens, baskets & fans “A blessing or a curse? While some palms are threatened by human intervention others are the cause of Substantial damage to the natural environment” Picture 12 a: Breaking fast with fresh dates Picture 12 b: Greenpeace campaigners

LOTUS (Nelumbo nucifera ‘Indian or Sacred Lotus’) HINDUISM Symbol of eternity, plenty & good fortune Flowers used in offerings Divinities Vishnu, Lakshmi & Sarasvati portrayed on a lotus ORIGIN & HISTORY In ancient Asia a divine symbol for sexual purity & non-attachment MEDICAL PROPERTIES & TRADITIONAL USES All parts are edible in savoury dishes or candied Dried seed heads used for decorative purposes & flower arranging “Lotus seeds have long been claimed to live for centuries. An old seed from China was germinated and dated over a thousand years old. What do you think are the benefits of long-lived seeds? ” Picture 13 a: Hindu goddess Lakshmi on pink Lotus flower Picture 13 b: Lotus flower

TULSI (Ocimum tenuiflorum) HINDUISM Sacred plant, symbol of purity, serenity, harmony, luck, happiness & good health Most Hindus grow it in special pots in front of or near their home Historically grown in the courtyards of forts and temples to cleanse the body ORIGIN & HISTORY Aromatic and medicinal plant native throughout the Old World tropics MEDICAL PROPERTIES & TRADITIONAL USES In Ayurveda: for colds, headaches, stomach disorders, inflammation, heart disease, various forms of poisoning & malaria “Do you know any plants commonly grown in our gardens and houses that are used in home remedies and natural medicines? How do you use them? ” Picture 14 a: offering water to Tulsi Picture 14 b: the woody stems are used to make the beads for rosaries

MYRRH (Commiphora myrrha) CHRISTIANITY ‘On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh’ (Matthew 2. 11) Used in Christian liturgical celebrations HINDUISM Incense is offered to God as part of the daily ritual worship ORIGIN & HISTORY Native to Yemen, Somalia & the eastern parts of Ethiopia MEDICAL PROPERTIES & TRADITIONAL USES Used in perfume, as incense and as an antiseptic “The Incense Route is a World Heritage site of ‘outstanding universal value’ (OUV) by UNESCO (2005). Do you know what OUV means and why it is important? ” Picture 15: Milking a Commiphora tree (cutting through the bark into the wood). Myrrh is an aromatic oleoresin, a natural blend of essential oil & resin

MUSTARD (Brassica & Sinapis spss) CHRISTIANITY Represents the growth of the kingdom of God from tiny beginnings to worldwide size ISLAM Symbol of something great flowing from the tiniest of actions ORIGIN & HISTORY The earliest reference is in the 5 th century Buddha used seeds to teach the inevitability of death MEDICAL PROPERTIES & TRADITIONAL USES Seeds used as a spice to make oil and turned into ‘mustard’. Leaves are used in salad Mustard seeds are very small. Do you think their size affects their dispersal? ” Picture 16 a: Mustard flowers Picture 16 b: Mustard seasoning as sold in supermarkets

ROSE (Rosa sp. ) ISLAM Roses in Heaven. The rose is Prophet Muhammed’s favourite flower CHRISTIANITY ‘Rosary’ (Prayer beads) from the Latin ‘rosarium-rose garden’ ORIGIN & HISTORY Rose cultivation began in ancient Babylonia & Assyria Early rose gardens grew wild species. Deliberate cross breeding only began in the early 19 th century, following the introduction of cultivated roses from China MEDICAL PROPERTIES & TRADITIONAL USES Used as ornamental plant & in preparation of perfumes Fruits are good source of Vitamin C “The cost of Roses: Lake Naivasha (Kenya) a disaster for the ecosystem & the local community. Do you know where things you use everyday come from and at what cost? ” Picture 17: Kenya, a worker pushes roses ready for the international & European market

PANSY (Viola sp) HUMANISM Symbol of ‘free thought’ Pansy from the French pensée means ‘thought’ ORIGIN & HISTORY A large group of popular garden flowers Most pansies are hybrids cultivated from Viola tricolor MEDICAL PROPERTIES & TRADITIONAL USES Used as ornamental plant Also is used in phytotherapy “Many ornamental plants we grow are human-made hybrids. Do you know what a hybrid is? Can you think of positive and negative aspects or hybridization? ” Picture 18 : Viola, the flower resembles a human face

GRAPE (Vitis vinifera) CHRISTIANITY ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener’ (John 15. 1) Grapes and vines are often symbols of fruitfulness and burgeoning growth In the Bible the first miracle was the turning of water into wine ISLAM ‘By means of it We produce gardens of dates and grapes for you, in which there are many fruits for you and from which you eat’ (Surat al-Mu'minun, 19) ORIGIN & HISTORY Its cultivation began 6, 000 -8, 000 years ago in the Near East The oldest winery in ancient Armenia dates around 4, 000 BC “Do you know why rose bushes are often grown at the end of vineyard rows? ” Picture 19: The tree is native to the Mediterranean region, central Europe & SW Asia

WHEAT (Triticum spp. ) CHRISTIANITY ‘Jesus said, ‘I am the Bread of Life’ Whoever comes to me will never be hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty’. (John 6. 35. ) Communion bread is used in the Christian ritual of the Eucharist ORIGIN & HISTORY One of the most ancient plants Failure of the wheat crop can bring devastation to a country and have a world-wide impact MEDICAL PROPERTIES &/ TRADITIONAL USES It is the leading source of protein for humans, second only to rice “Think of common food and products made out of wheat. Now, imagine your life without wheat. . . ” Picture 20: Wheat is used in a wide range of everyday foods

SANDALWOOD TREE (Santalum album) HINDUISM Auspicious trees symbol of Goddess Lakshmi Joss sticks welcome the gods while keep evil spirits away ORIGIN & HISTORY Native to East Asia. Known in the sub-continent for millennia MEDICAL PROPERTIES & TRADITIONAL USES In Ayurveda: used for its cooling & anti-bacterial properties & for anxiety Very expensive essential oil: its content & quality increases in older trees CONSERVATION STATUS: VULNERABLE India accounts for 90% of world production of oil, but production is declining due to fire, grazing and exploitation of the wood. Export of the timber is banned from India “Can you think of other plant species that are threatened in their environment? What are the main threats? ” Picture 21: Sacred carving (Gooddess Lakshmi) in sandalwood heartwood which is strongly aromatic

HARIDRA- TURMERIC (Curcuma longa) HINDUISM Placed at the entrance of new homes for good fortune Used in religious rituals as a dye for holy robes Mixed with rice and offered as a part of prayers In rituals of divine blessing (pujas) a form of Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, is made by mixing turmeric with water ORIGIN & HISTORY Native to tropical South Asia MEDICAL PROPERTIES & TRADITIONAL USES Aromatic, stimulant and colouring properties Natural anti-septic, anti-biotic. Treatment of wounds, inflammation & tumours “Do you know other plants used to extract or produce natural dyes? ” Picture 22: Workers sort turmeric at a farm

MANGO TREE (Mangifera indica) HINDUISM Leaves are tied outside homes for Hindu rituals and in offerings with coconut. They denote vibrant life ISLAM The fruit represents love & fertility in ancient Indian paradises Favoured plant in Muslim orchards for its shade against the heat ORIGIN & HISTORY Native to N/E India, first fossil records 25 -30 m years old India national fruit, the 'King of Fruits‘ India produces more than half of the world's supply MEDICAL PROPERTIES & TRADITIONAL USES Dye, wood & for preventing colon cancer “The ‘bat-mango’ connection: a winning combination for the ecosystem. Do you know why? ” Picture 23 a: Mango fruit Picture 23 b: The Antillean Fruit-eating Bat (Brachyphylla cavernarum)

PLANT CONSERVATION OUR RIGHT OR OUR RESPONSIBILITY? How do they help our life on Earth? What would our life be like without these plants? The same plants we worship and value in our lives are often threatened in their own environment because of our actions How do they support our spiritual life? Could our beliefs help us understand their importance and save them in their natural environment?

THANK YOU