In a region where rapid urbanization, hydropower development and resource demand is devastating natural ecosystems, a dedicated team is working hard to preserve Laos’ unique plant species.
The Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden opened near Luang Prabang in November 2016. Located across the Mekong River from the charming city, it is the first garden of its kind in the landlocked country. While endangered regional animal species such as tigers, elephants and monkeys regularly make international headlines, far less is heard about Southeast Asia's rare flora species.
According to their website, Pha Tad Ke was founded to be “a regional research center with the first living collection of the flora of Laos that provides opportunities for collaboration with international institutions.”
Rik Gadella, the garden’s general director and founder, decided to establish the facility after falling for Luang Prabang during a visit to Laos. With a background in the art and publication worlds, Gadella knew little of the science behind botany, but he pushed ahead anyway.
“I was already interested in working in biodiversity conservation, so it all just made sense to put it all together,” he tells Saigoneer.
In order to build a base of expertise, Gadella talked to specialists at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Singapore Botanic Gardens and the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden in Chiang Mai.
“They’ve all been very supportive right from the beginning, helping us with capacity building training, our staff has been there [Chiang Mai and Singapore] for training, and we did joint field work as well,” the general director explains.
A major challenge at the start was the fact that Laos’ plant and forest ecosystems have not been extensively studied or surveyed.
“There’s very little local knowledge, and hardly any horticulture education so we had to start from scratch,” Gadella says. “Most of the field work in Laos had been done in the 1940s and 50s by one French high school teacher who became an important botanist. There’s a lot of folks in agriculture and forestry programs, of course, and NGOs often do field work for them, but real botanical field work is hard to find. Only 30% of Laos’ flora has been described thus far.”
One of the main goals for Gadella and his team, therefore, is to bring local expertise up to speed so that Laotians can run Pha Tad Ke in the future. “From the beginning the goal was always that the garden should be built for Laos staff with Laos staff together and make myself obsolete,” he shares.
Thanks to an array of educational and capacity building programs, it is hoped that Laos staff will be able to take over within five years.
Preserving culture
Another important goal at Pha Tad Ke is to record Laos’ flora and the culture surrounding it before vital information disappears.
“People really enjoy the botanic gardens, there [are] 10 different plots focused around themes like medicinal plants for women’s issues; medicinal plants for skin problems; there’s one about fiber plants used for weaving, paper making and basketry; dye plants; H’mong plans and more,” Gadella elaborates.
Many of the traditions which use these plants and techniques are passed down through word of mouth, and since Laos’ flora is so poorly recorded on paper, such practices can be lost as older generations pass away.
Another program will research and cultivate heritage plants, or flora species that were used in Laos centuries ago but had faded from use. For example, a chili currently grown in Luang Prabang is used throughout the country, but this variety was brought over from the United States in the 18th century.
Along with the help of a French historian, the team at the garden determined which type of endemic chili was used before then, grew it, and is now using it in dishes at Pha Tad Ke’s on-site restaurant.
Environmental conservation
Of course, helping to preserve the overall environment is a key aspect of any botanic garden, and Pha Tad Ke is no different. Research conducted at the garden could help people living in rural areas of Laos to manage their land better through improved practices.
“One important reason why I want to do this is because biodiversity conservation is very important, and slash and burn deforestation can be lessened through better agricultural techniques,” Gadella says. “80% of the Laos population lives in the mountains off sustenance farming, so if we can improve the yield and efficiency of their farms so they stop slashing and burning, I think that could have a very big impact.”
Dr. Nura Abdul Karim, deputy director of library, training and external relations at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, further explains the key role such facilities can play in conservation.
“Southeast Asia has a very rich biodiversity that has not been fully explored by researchers in both flora and fauna sciences,” she says. “Through collaboration of various botanic gardens and pooling of resources and expertise, each botanic garden can enhance knowledge in conserving…species that are threatened by habitat loss and climate change.”
By allowing people from all walks of life to see, learn about, and interact with irreplaceable species of flora, gardens like Pha Tad Ke provide a crucial link between the human and natural worlds.
“Through sharing and collaborations, visitors and locals of countries will learn to appreciate the importance of plants to daily life and cultivate the love and interest in growing and conserving the diverse greenery of the country before anthropogenic factors affect the plant’s existence,” Dr. Nura shares.
Gadella and his team have already created a wealth of valuable research and publications in just a year, including 15 books, as well as training and education programs for both staff and visitors. Fundraising is underway to further expand the garden through the construction of an orchid house.
As local expertise continues to grow, Pha Tad Ke will gradually transition to full Laos management, while hopefully making strides in biodiversity conservation. As of now Gadella and everyone else working at the garden have not only established an important research and preservation center, but also a nice place to be.
"The people really love it, and we've had really good reviews," he says. "We're on the other side of the Mekong so you have to take a boat from our reception in town and people really enjoy that. It's a nice way to get out of here and go to the garden."
