IMPORTANT MEDICINAL PLANTS OF CHITRAL GOL NATIONAL PARK (CGNP) PAKISTAN

National Parks are diverse habitat for different medicinal plants. So far 21 areas in Pakistan have been declared as National Parks (NP). The present investigations focus on the ethnobotanical study of important medicinal plants of Chitral Gol National Park. The local inhabitants including ethnic groups of Kalash living in the vicinity of the Park have always used the medicinal herbs for various ailments and are dependent on the plants in their surrounding for, food, shelter, health, medicine, fodder and various cultural purposes. A total of 31 trees, herbs and shrubs belonging to 21 families were recorded which are used as fuel, fence and as medicine by the local inhabitants. About 100 informants and local Hakims were interviewed in this regard. Artemisia maritima, Artemisia brevifolia and Rosa webbiana are dominant species suitable for harvesting, while Ephedra gerardiana and Ferula narthex are vulnerable to harvesting. The precious ethnobotanical knowledge is disappearing very fast, so this study could be helpful in conservation of ethnobotanical knowledge.