Vulnerability of Mangrove Forests and Wetland Ecosystems in the Sundarbans Natural World Heritage Site (Bangladesh)

Abstract

The Sundarbans Natural World Heritage Site is lying within the Bangladesh coastal region, which is gifted with vast natural resources, a delta, tidal flat, mangrove forests, marches, lagoons, bars, spilt, estuaries and coastal ecological environment. These habitats, biotopes and ecosystems also serve as potential resources for anthropogenic communities: 36.8 million people are living within the coastal region of Bangladesh and being dependent on coastal water resources, for which the Sundarbans Natural World Heritage Site is giving some protective management support. Nevertheless the natural coastal resources are drastically reducing due to unplanned use by the community and the stakeholders, although the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Rivers are carrying 6 million m3/s water. As a result, the Sundarbans mangrove forests and wetlands are vastly affected through these developments. The present situation demands that an integrated natural resource management plan is necessary for the protection of the mangrove coastal ecosystem. This chapter was prepared based on primary and secondary data sources, as the objectives were to analyze the present coastal mangrove natural resources management status. The study investigates the deltaic Sundarbans natural world heritage site with its mangrove forests and wetlands ecosystem development and management strategies to ensure less vulnerability and a sustainable development of coastal mangrove resources in the Ganges-Brahmaputra Rivers deltaic coastal floodplain region of Bangladesh.