Juniper trees are the longest living trees in the world. Ziarat Valley, some 120 kilometers far from Quetta, has some of the world’s oldest juniper forests.
The trees in Ziarat, Pakistan are often thousands of years old and yet declared as the “living fossils”.
Juniper tree grows only a few centimeters in a year and only a few inches in 100 years. Therefore these can be acclaimed as the slowest growing living beings.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has listed the Juniper forests of Ziarat as a World Heritage Site.
Spreading over around 110,000 hectares, these forests attract tourists with their unique fragrance and not only enhance the beauty of the area but are also home to Markhor, Wolves, Bears, Foxes, and 36 rare migratory birds.
Juniper trees are tall with reddish bark covered in layers. The juniper wood leaves a fresh alluring fragrance and is able to catch fire easily.
Planting junipers requires a special climate and environment as it is a tree of arid and cold climate. As per the researchers, if you are witnessing a tree 30 to 35 meters high, you are lucky that you are facing the world’s oldest living being.
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Juniper trees have an ecological history of a thousand years. It is considered to be the oldest living traveler in the evolutionary journey of biological history of the planet.
The ancient Juniper forests in Ziarat, Pakistan can boost domestic and foreign tourism in the country. The founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, spent the last days of his life in a residency in the Ziarat Valley, which is adorned with juniper trees.
However, these ancient forests are in peril as locals are cutting trees for agriculture and other purposes.
The protection of Juniper forests in Pakistan is the responsibility of all citizens as it a natural heritage not only for locals but for foreign tourists as well.