Nature's Solution: Discover How Mazhar Botanic Garden Fights Cairo's Air Pollution

Referred to as the 'knight of Egyptian cinema' due to his noble demeanor and military history, Ahmed Mazhar—who died in 2002—spent much of his time off-screen engaged in collecting plants.

The garden is currently under the ownership of his son, architect Shehab Mazhar, and as of July 2024, it has been made accessible to the public—a choice that Mazhar states aligns with the traditions set forth by Egyptian rulers from the early 1900s.

"As a child," states Mazhar, "my grandmother instructed me on planting in our family garden. She also shared her knowledge of soil fertilization with me." These lessons created a deep emotional bond for him. flowers And trees he observed growing each day.

When I was growing up, I harbored a strong wish to devote my time to establishing a one-of-a-kind botanical garden, unlike anything seen before. Egypt ,” Mazhar says.

When enlarging his father’s garden, he aimed to emulate the contemporary architects of modern Egypt—such as Ismail Pasha, who established the Orman Garden in Giza.

What was the process behind the growth of the Mazhar Botanic Garden?

In 1950, Ahmed Mazhar initiated a collection consisting of flower saplings, almond and walnut trees, as well as roses and various fruits. By 1985, he broadened his scope to incorporate shade-providing plants and exotic botanical specimens.

In 2009, Mazhar junior unveiled a comprehensive range of palm trees. bamboo , orchids, cacti, perennials, houseplants and aquatic flora, ferns along with bulbous species.

Spread across more than 30 acres in El-Barageel, about 10 kilometers away from downtown Cairo, this garden houses around 75,000 unique species of therapeutic and fragrant flora gathered from various international botanical expositions.

Its main objective is to safeguard the biggest surviving assembly of indigenous flora, making the garden an essential destination. accredited In 2017, it was designated as one of 15 such locations in the northern African nation by Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). The site additionally serves as a center for scientific research and botanical study.

A verdant oasis for Greater Cairo

Dr. Therese Labib, who specializes in heritage botanic gardens and oversees the Mazhar Botanic Garden, states that the garden has a crucial function in safeguarding rare and threatened plant species around the world.

Furthermore, the garden helps preserve biodiversity and supports environmental sustainability through enhancing carbon dioxide absorption rates,” says Labib.

She asserts that Mazhar Botanic Garden outperforms Orman Garden in absorbing pollutants, extracting an amount equal to four times what Orman Garden removes from Greater Cairo.

A recent report from Dr. Wafaa Mahrous Amer, a botany professor at Cairo University’s Faculty of Science and a member of the National Committee for UNESCO, indicates that the garden helps sequester approximately 2 million kilograms of carbon dioxide annually.

Adopting plant DNA technology

To improve this vital function, horticulture specialists have implemented an enhanced system for categorizing the plants based on DNA analysis .

Mazhar has become the inaugural botanical garden in Egypt to implement this system, referred to as the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG) system—a contemporary, molecule-driven approach for categorizing blooming plants.

This technology has facilitated precise categorization of plants based on their scientific classification. To offer details regarding the background, source, and scarcity of each specimen, QR codes have been incorporated into the system. Up until now, more than 1,080 types of plant species have been cataloged using this approach.

"Like any green area, botanic gardens significantly contribute to alleviating the impacts of climate change through their ability to absorb carbon dioxide and lessen temperature rise," explains Dr. Hesham Lotfy, who is a professor specializing in plant classification at the Faculty of Education at Ain Shams University.

Nevertheless, he emphasizes that the genuine worth of botanical gardens transcends this function, as they serve as a "living museum" for flora, safeguarding various plant species. biodiversity of rare ones.

"Mazhar Garden significantly enhances air quality in Giza Governorate due to its dense and varied vegetation," notes Lotfy.

What amount of carbon do trees hold?

Dr. Maha Ismail, who leads a forestry and timber tree research center in Cairo, states that the capacity of trees to soak up carbon dioxide depends on various elements.

This encompasses the site where cultivation takes place, the kind of soil present, and the age of the tree , growth velocity, and the level of carbon in the adjacent environment.

Ismail explains, “Scientists use mathematical formulas to determine how much carbon dioxide is held within a tree.”

A mature eucalyptus tree, which typically weighs around two tons, can store an estimated one ton of carbon dioxide, nearly half its mass. Over its lifetime, a 20-year-old eucalyptus tree absorbs roughly 122 kilograms of carbon each year.

Challenges for maintaining botanical gardens in Egypt

Water scarcity In Egypt, according to Dr. Mohamed Mahmoud — who previously served as the director of the Horticultural Research Institute at the Agricultural Research Center — efforts to establish new botanical gardens are restricted because resources are being focused on ensuring food security for the country’s 105-million-strong populace.

“National policy advocates for planting forest trees that are watered using treated sewage effluent,” Mahmoud explains to Euronews. “This constitutes an eco-friendly substitute for conventional landscaping practices. By situating these forests close to wastewater treatment plants, we can significantly decrease carbon emissions and alleviate the impacts of climate change.” climate change .”

Professor Dr. Nader Nour El-Din, who specializes in water resources at Cairo University and serves as a consultant for the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), asserts that evergreen trees are the most effective at cleansing the air due to their thick foliage and continuous photosynthetic activity throughout the year.

"Projects aimed at 'greening the desert' do more than just safeguard agricultural lands from turning into deserts; they've turned into a crucial strategy for tackling climate issues and enhancing air quality," according to Nour El-Din.

This article is published in cooperation with Egab.