Botanics form innovative link up with The HALO Trust

A part of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) was transformed into a “minefield” to highlight a new collaboration to restore nature and rebuild lives in war-torn regions across the world.

In a global first, RBGE and world leading humanitarian mine action charity The HALO Trust will work together to tackle devastating environmental and economic consequences of war by boosting the resilience of vulnerable communities in conflict zones.

The unique partnership brings together a wealth of international experience, with both organisations active across five continents.

It will focus on the many conflict-affected areas where the Dumfries-based HALO Trust operates, which are also biodiversity hotspots where local communities depend heavily on plant resources for food security and trade.

The collaboration was formally launched at the RBGE, where the Rock Garden – one of the most vulnerable areas of the attraction because of the rare plants it contains – was transformed into a “minefield” complete with made-safe mines and signage.

James Cowan, CEO of The HALO Trust, said: “War leaves behind a legacy of devastation, splintering the lives of people and destroying the fragile environments upon which they depend.

“By fusing our respective expertise, passion and knowledge, our shared vision of helping people to recover and thrive after conflict while restoring the natural world is brought to life.

“Together, we envision a future rooted in peace – where both the land and its people can flourish again.”

The initiative has already begun in the Horn of Africa, where HALO explosives experts have cleared landmines and other dangerous remnants of war in parts of Puntland and South-West Somalia.

The work has allowed safe access for ecological surveys on rare, income-generating frankincense trees (Boswellia sacra) to take place. An economically and culturally important species under increasing threat from environmental pressures, frankincense resin has a wide range of uses, primarily in aromatherapy, skincare, and traditional medicine.

Using specialist locally adapted methods developed by the RBGE, the project is investigating tree health, supporting tree nurseries and replanting initiatives, and promoting sustainable harvesting practices.

In the future, new joint projects are expected to develop across the world, including in Ethiopia, Yemen, Kenya, West Africa, Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria.

Particular focus will be on post-conflict regions where gums and resins such as frankincense, myrrh, gum Arabic and Aloe species offer sustainable trade and development opportunities.

Simon Milne, Regius Keeper of the RBGE, said: “This marks a truly remarkable milestone – a partnership between two institutions united by a powerful vision to help communities recover from conflict while restoring and benefiting from the natural world.

“At the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, our mission has always been to protect the incredible diversity of plants and, through them, the communities that depend on these vital organisms across the globe. Our work spans continents and climates, but at its heart, it is about preserving the foundations of life itself.

“I have witnessed firsthand the devastating impact conflict can have — not only on human lives and livelihoods but also on the natural environment…

“Yet, in the face of such hardship, there is hope. Nature has an extraordinary ability to reclaim and regenerate, even in the most shattered landscapes. Once land is made safe from residual hazards of war, it can be returned to sustainable use, restoring degraded ecosystems, supporting climate adaptation, and enabling local livelihoods through conservation and sustainable plant-based trade.”

He added: “This partnership represents an innovative alignment of missions. By combining HALO’s deep field knowledge and community networks with our expertise in plant science and conservation horticulture, we can support some of the world’s most vulnerable regions with practical solutions to strengthen ecosystems and livelihoods alike.”

The HALO Trust is the world’s oldest humanitarian mine clearance organisation, founded in 1988 in Afghanistan, where it has operated consistently since.

It employs more than 8500 women and men in over 30 countries in landmine and munition clearance, risk education and weapons and ammunition management. The organisation recently cleared its two millionth landmine worldwide.

Saeeda Gouhari, a former RBGE project lead, added: “In Afghanistan, our work supporting the sustainable use of natural resources provided communities with much-needed hope and agency.

“This partnership with HALO offers a new opportunity to blend recovery with regeneration – healing landscapes and lives together.”