THREATENED FRUIT AND NUT TREES

Pictures from the highly threatened fruit and nut forests of Central Asia

APPLE Malus sieversii (Vulnerable) is believed to be the primary ancestor of the domesticated apple and is found wild in China; Kazakhstan; Kyrgyzstan; Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Threats include loss and degradation of habitat and overgrazing.
Photo: G.Lazkov

APPLE Malus niedzwetskyana (Endangered) is found in Afghanistan, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. It is an extremely rare wild relative of domesticated cultivars, making it an internationally important genetic resource. With its distinctive red flesh, thought to have cancer fighting properties, this apple is easily recognisable but highly threatened. The Global Trees Campaign has been working to conserve this apple since 2006.
Photos: left: G.Lazkov, right: K. Shalpykov

PISTACHIO Pistacia vera (Near Threatened) is found in the wild in Afghanistan, Iran and Turkmenistan. It is mainly threatened by fruit collection and grazing. In Kazakhstan the pistachio is known by local people as the “tree of life” due to its health giving properties.
Photo: G.Lazkov

PLUM Prunus sogdiana (not evaluated). A wild plum found in gorges and river valleys of Central Asia. Fruits are edible and are used to make of jam, wine, marmalade, and juice.
Photo: G.Lazkov

PEAR Pyrus korshinskyi (Critically Endangered) is known from small, fragmented populations in Kyrgyzstan; Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. It is threatened by overgrazing, fruit harvesting and collection of saplings for grafting.
Photo: D.Milko

WALNUT Juglans regia (Near Threatened) has great economic importance to local communities who live around the fruit and nut forests. It is threatened by over collection of nuts, over grazing and cutting.
Photo: G.Lazkov

CHERRY Cerasus tianschanica (not evaluated) is a threatened species of cherry found in the Central Asian fruit and nut forests. The fruit is edible, and has a pleasant flavour.
Photo: G.Lazkov

ALMOND Amygdalus ulmifolia (not evaluated) is a species of wild almond found in the fruit and nut forests of Central Asia.
Photo: G.Lazkov

HARVEST Wild fruit and nuts collected from the forest in Kyrgyzstan.
Photo: J. Smith

Many of the trees featured in this gallery were assessed in the Red List of Trees of Central Asia, produced by the Global Trees Campaign in 2009.