15 Jun 2014

Some urbanites have never seen certain wild plants species and maybe think those plants can only be found in particular regions of Botswana.

This could probably be because they are not aware that there is a place in Gaborone where they can find a variety of Botswana’s indigenous plants - the National Botanical Garden.

Little is known about this area, but it is worth a visit as it protects Botswana’s heritage and also has a rich history. When in that area, one can get a feeling of the wild and taken a bit away from the town infrastructure.

The botanical garden, located in Village opposite the Gaborone Club, is part of the national history division of the national museum. Mathews Alemarumo, a botanical garden curator, told BOPA that the park was established in 1968 and officially opened in 2007 with the purpose of protecting the endangered plant species of Botswana. 

Protected plants were those that could be threatened by overharvesting or by developments, among other things. A number of Botswana’s indigenous plants are found at this garden, which is divided into six sections corresponding to the country’s six different ecological regions.

The plants include the sausage tree (Moporota) and pod mahogany (Mukusi) found in the Chobe region, wild date palm (Tsaro) and mokolwane found in Okavango and the salt pans. 

There are also mophane and monepenepe (Long-tail Cassia) found in a mophane woodland, mountain aloe (Mokgwapha) and umbrella thorn (musunyana) from the north-eastern parts of the Kgalagadi region. 

Others are nyala tree (motha) and the fever tree (more-o-mosetlha) found in Mashatu, and also hoodia and grasses from south western Kgalagadi. Moretlwa and mowana are also found there. However, Alemarumo said many of the plants were found in the botanical garden while those introduced included mophane, monepenepe and mowana.

Apart from displaying the country’s plants, the botanical garden also maintains botanical monuments such as the morula tree in Gaborone under which the first meeting of the BDP was held.

Other botanical monuments the garden was in charge of were Baines Baobabs in the Nxai Pan, makosho trees in Lecheng and the tlhwakwana plant, also known as the flowering stone at Pelotshetlha in the Southern District.

Inside the botanical garden is also the Old Gaberones Hotel, which is now used as a Natural History Museum and was built in 1890. The building was used as a hotel and boardroom by the early British colonial administrators.

Alemarumo said the natural history centre was inherited by the national museum and was used for research and sometimes exhibitions. Promoting the botanical garden, the curator said his department used the mobile museum, where they tour schools promoting services of the national museum. 

Public education campaign also includes taking advantage of activities such as World Environment Day, World Wetlands Day, National Tree Planting Day and International Museum Day, where they exhibit. 

The Motswedi wa Ditso radio programme also plays an important role in promoting the National Botanical Garden. Visits to the National Botanical Garden are by foreigners and university students only. 

He said events such as weddings, baby showers, photo shootings and parties could be held at the park for a P750 fee. ENDS