Protected Areas In Bangladesh Research Articles

Impact of protected areas and co-management on forest cover: A case study from Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary, Bangladesh

Deforestation is a matter of serious global concern. Establishing protected areas (PAs), which cover nearly 15% of the world’s surface, is one of the leading approaches to forest conservation. The recent global expansion of PAs has led to the inclusion of local communities in the forest management process, an approach referred to as “co-management.” PAs under co-management are expected to conserve biodiversity while providing support to local communities. This trend for forest co-management has shown mixed results, and a better understanding of its impact on forests and people is required. This study attempts to explore the forest-cover change in a PA of Bangladesh—the Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary (TWS). Remote sensing will be used to assess the land-cover change, followed by a household survey to define the impact of local settlements responsible for this change. To analyze the impact of PA and co-management on forest cover, satellite images from 1989, 2007, 2009, and 2015 were considered due to the availability of quality images. The study found that from 1989 to 2015, the region saw a 46% decrease in forest cover compared to 64% inside the PA boundary; deforestation occurred more inside the PA than outside. Moreover, after the implementation of a co-management approach, the rate of deforestation increased inside the PA. Besides the forest conversion, the tree coverage shifted from the core forest area toward the settlement area, causing serious negative impacts on biodiversity. The household survey listed 57,404 households in the region, among which 5195 were situated inside the PA. Co-management in PAs was intended to involve local communities in forest management, but this study showed that the local community is causing more deforestation and shifting the tree coverage towards the forest boundaries. The creation of a large, multi-use buffer zone to ensure the long-term tenure of the core forest area could be a viable option. Such buffer zones can provide effective security and enhance local people’s livelihoods.

Local Level Forest Governance and Conservation Outcomes in a Co-managed Protected Area of Bangladesh

ABSTRACT Co-management of forest protected areas (PA) is considered as a viable option to improve the local-level forest governance. This study examined the state of local-level forest governance in Chunati wildlife sanctuary (CWS), a co-managed PA in south-eastern Bangladesh. Data on eight key principles of governance and forest conservation outcomes were collected by interviewing randomly selected non-state actors (n = 39) and state actors (n = 10) and four focus group discussions with the forest-dependent communities. We conducted a t-test to compare respondents’ perceptions regarding key governance principles and conservation outcomes. Results revealed that co-management governance in CWS assisted to improve the quality of forests in terms of tree and wildlife diversity, while illicit felling and land encroachment had reduced. Respondents’ overall perception on key governance principles showed a moderate-to-high score (mean 3.33 out of 5.00). Regarding forest conservation outcomes, the score was also moderate to high (mean 3.72 out of 5.00). Non-state actors showed fairly higher perception on overall key governance principles and conservation outcomes, while state actors (non-forestry officials) reported lower scores. Findings of this study would be useful to reshape the co-management policies that ensure good governance at local-level management of PA in Bangladesh and elsewhere.

The use of multi-temporal Landsat normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data for assessing forest cover change of Lawarchara National Park

Lawachara National Park (LNP) is one of the most renowned protected areas in Bangladesh and a natural habitat of critically endangered Hoolock gibbon. The study's purpose was to assess the long-term change of forest cover using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) technique and evaluate the impact of co-management. Landsat images acquired from the USGS glovis website were used to assess forest cover change using NDVI, a popular technique for identification and estimation of forest areas. NDVI value ranges from (− 1) to (+ 1); a negative value indicates non-vegetated areas including water bodies, road surfaces, settlements, etc., whereas a positive value near (+ 1) indicates the highest density vegetation. NDVI value (0) indicates bare land without vegetation. Based on NDVI values, the forest areas have been divided into four categories, namely: (1) very low or no vegetation area, (2) low-density vegetation area, (3) moderate-density vegetation area, and (4) dense vegetation area. A household survey was carried out among the people living in the adjacent villages to LNP. The study of assessing the forest cover change of LNP using remotely sensed data revealed that, after the initiation of co-management, the dense vegetation area increased by 8.62% in 2006 compared to 2001, but it decreased by 0.77% in 2014. In 2018, dense vegetation decreased by 3.86% relative to the dense vegetation area of 2014. If it is compared as a whole, it can be said that the forest cover has improved under co-management, and the household survey revealed that forest dependence has been reduced which might be considered as one of the reasons for forest cover improvement. However, more improvement can be achieved by focusing on the villages where forest dependence is still high. Betel leaf cultivation inside the forest area is creating a problem for wildlife and also hampering the natural composition of flora. Therefore, it is recommended to rehabilitate betel leaf cultivators outside the forest area with proper compensation. This will harness the full potentiality of the co-management practice, it needs complete monitoring and goodwill from every stakeholder, and hence it will bring good for the whole country.

Social Dimensions in Designing and Managing Marine Protected Areas in Bangladesh

This study assesses the governance challenges faced by two different types of aquatic protected areas in Bangladesh for fish stocks and elasmobranch and cetacean species. Establishing a network of sanctuaries across six riverine and estuarine zones has yielded positive ecological outcomes in the revitalization of hilsa shad (Tenualosa ilisha) fisheries. The combination of firm political commitment, a meaningful partnership among various government agencies toward more vigorous enforcement, and a compensation scheme has contributed to this success. However, less attention has been given to the sanctuaries’ social outcomes leading to underperformance in effectiveness and social equity. The drivers of ecological outcomes for hilsa shad sanctuaries may also be useful for marine megafauna conservation. In addition, fishers’ needs, and participation should be considered when developing a management plan for marine protected areas (MPAs). Finally, I argue that to achieve Aichi Target 11 and SDG14 goals, expanding the MPAs’ spatial coverage in Bangladesh should be coupled with ensuring effectiveness and social equity.

Butterflies are weakly protected in a mega-populated country, Bangladesh

Protected areas have been established around the world to preserve samples of biodiversity from pressing threats. Yet the adequacy of protected area systems in many tropical nations is poorly understood, and assessments are usually focused on vertebrates. Here, we model the occurrence of 246 butterfly species, and determine the extent to which they occur in protected areas in Bangladesh, a country that forms part of the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot. We develop ecological niche models, and measure overlap with protected areas using three methods to map species distributions (habitat suitability, area of occupancy, and extent of occurrence). Suitability maps identify the north-east and south-east regions as the main centres of butterfly diversity, yet there is marked variation among families, and between non-threatened and threatened species. Using the suitability map approach, a mean of 1.27% of the geographic range of species is covered by protected areas. Only two species (Euploea crameri and Danaus melanippus) have >15% coverage, 25% of species have no coverage and 70% of species have <1% coverage. Overall, protected area coverage is slightly higher for threatened species. Tracts of suitable, but unprotected habitat still exist in the north-east and south-east regions of Bangladesh, and designation of new protected areas in these regions will strengthen butterfly conservation in the country. Enhanced management of existing protected areas, and a strategy for conserving butterflies and other insects outside protected areas will also help secure the long-term future for biodiversity in Bangladesh.

Effectiveness of protected areas in reducing deforestation and forest fragmentation in Bangladesh

The establishment of protected areas has been considered a tool to battle deforestation in densely populated countries like Bangladesh. Since 2000, Bangladesh's Forest Department has declared about 41 protected areas. However, before more land is designated as a protected area, it is important to know how effective existing protected areas are in achieving conservation goals. Unfortunately, the determination of the conservation effectiveness of protected areas, such as their capacity to reduce deforestation and forest fragmentation over a considerable period at high temporal frequency (e.g., yearly), is still unavailable despite some known methods being available, for example, the System for the Integrated Assessment of Protected Areas. In this study, we processed and analyzed the Hansen dataset from 2000 to 2018 to produce yearly forest/non-forest maps of four protected areas in Bangladesh and used these maps, with a matching method, to estimate the effectiveness of protected area in reducing deforestation after controlling for potential hidden bias. We also analyzed the forest fragmentation scenario over the same time frame. The forest cover change results from 2010 to 2018 revealed a large-scale deforestation pattern in areas adjacent to the protected area boundary of Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS) and Baroiyadhala National Park–Hazarikhil Wildlife Sanctuary (together B-HWS). Using a propensity score matching (PSM) approach with a caliper of 0.25, we found that B-HWS was the best performing of the studied protected areas, and that 37% of forest pixels in B-HWS would have been deforested in 2018 if they had not been brought under protection in 2010. Similarly, the estimated avoided deforestation rates were approximately 21% and 4% for CWS and Dudpukuria–Dhopachari Wildlife Sanctuary, respectively. Despite an improvement in deforestation scenarios, during the period 2010–2018, for all protected areas, the forest fragmentation scenarios were exacerbated both inside their boundaries and in adjacent unprotected areas. Therefore, it remains questionable whether protected areas can ultimately maintain the integrity of conservation.

Assessment of tree species diversity, composition and structure of Medha Kachhapia National Park, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

Abstract. Uddin M, Chowdhury FI, Hossain MK. 2020. Assessment of tree species diversity, composition and structure of Medha Kachhapia National Park, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Asian J For 4: 15-21. Tree species diversity assessment is considered an essential task to design robust conservation action plans of Protected Areas (PAs). Numerous researches have assessed tree diversity of different PAs of Bangladesh but tree diversity of Medha Kachhapia National Park (MKNP) is still unknown due to lack of research initiatives. It hinders forest managers of this PA to plan and implement conservation actions successfully. To this end, the study carried out a systematic sampling to ascertain composition, distribution, and diversity of tree species available at MKNP of Bangladesh. Findings revealed that representation of tree diversity of MKNP was very poor. Only 10 tree species representing 6 families were identified. Besides, MKNP was dominated by different Dipterocarpus spp. especially with Dipterocarpus costatus. Dominance in height and diameter classes and high Important Value Index (133.94) of D. costatus indicated that the tree might possess a suitable habitat in MKNP to maintain optimum dispersal, development, and growth. However, recent plantation activities with exotic Acacia auriculiformis and intensified human-induced disturbances might hamper its habitat. Thus, to conserve the habitat of D. costatus and remaining forest resources of MKNP, reforestation efforts should be shifted from exotic to native tree species, and community anthropogenic disturbances should be minimized.

English

This study undertook a qualitative approach to evaluate the perceptions and attitudes of stakeholders towards the effectiveness of planning and management, in three protected areas in Bangladesh. A complex socio-economic context was revealed, within which there were diverse views leading, in some cases, to ongoing conflict and difficulty in law enforcement. While the co-management approach in theory takes the interests of local people into account and so has a better prospect for long term, sustainability, and forest protection, this research revealed that community participation is not currently effective. Recommendations are made to remedy to increase the potential towards achieving the management objectives for these protected areas. Key words: Co-management, protected areas, Bangladesh.

Tourism governance in protected areas: investigating the application of the adaptive co-management approach

Protected areas have become popular tourism destinations; yet these areas are often plagued by poor governance systems, particularly in developing countries. Adaptive co-management (ACM) has been advocated as one approach to improve the governance of protected areas, yet empirical evidence from developing countries is lacking. This study investigates the application of the ACM approach in two protected areas in Bangladesh which are also important nature-based tourism destinations. Using Lawachara National Park and Sundarbans East Wildlife Sanctuary as cases, this qualitative study explored the extent to which an ACM approach was able to support the achievement of key governance principles such as participation, accountability, transparency, power, rule of law, and social learning. It was found that the approach was successful in facilitating the increased participation of a broader range of stakeholder groups, and the collaboration between them. Importantly though, it was the adaptive element of ACM which was found to have made the greatest contribution to improved governance with the approach providing new opportunities for stakeholders to engage in iterative learning. This aspect was found to be of particular importance for the sustainability of the protected areas with stakeholders reporting changes attitudes and behaviour towards protected area conservation.

Phytosociological characteristics and diversity of trees in a comanaged protected area of Bangladesh: Implications for conservation

ABSTRACTThe Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS), a degraded protected area in southeastern Bangladesh, had been under comanagement since 2004. This study examined phytosociological characteristics and diversity of trees in CWS and discussed villagers’ opinions on the impact of comanagement on forest conservation. Following a stratified and systematic sampling 140 circular plots, 17.84-m radius each, were laid out in seven forest beats for the assessment of phytosociological characteristics and tree diversity. Several key-informant interviews and 15 focus group discussions were held to explore the impact of comanagement on forest conservation and on villagers’ livelihood. A total of 93 tree species were identified having a diameter at breast height (dbh) of ≥ 5 cm in 36 plant families. The dominant species were Acacia auriculiformis, Dipterocarpus turbinatus, Ficus hispida, and Tectona grandis. The average density of trees was 239 trees/ha of which 60% was composed of planted exotic species. Nearly 90% trees were belonging to 5- to 15-cm dbh class and the Shannon-Wiener index was 3.15. The comanagement governance had brought positive changes in forest conservation. However, to sustain the engagement of poor villagers in the comanagement and conservation of degraded CWS, more collective efforts are needed to support their living.

The competitiveness of the phytosociological attributes of the protected areas in Bangladesh with that in the other tropical countries

ABSTRACTMany forest reserves in Bangladesh have been converted to protected areas (PAs) to conserve the forests resources from further depletion. This study has investigated if such initiatives have improved the state of biodiversity of these PAs amid tremendous anthropogenic pressure on forest resources. We have assessed the phytosociological attributes of the PAs in the country through a case study at Kaptai National Park (KNP) and compared the attributes with those of the adjacent areas and of the tropical forests across the world. We have identified 52 species belonging to 45 genera and 28 families. The most dominant species in KNP was Dipterocarpus spp. and the adjacent area was dominated by Tectona grandis. Unexpectedly, the Shannon-Wiener index of KNP has dropped down from 2.98 in 2000 to 0.90 in 2014. However, in terms of relative density, relative dominance, and relative frequency, KNP was better than the adjacent areas. In contrast, the mean Shannon-Wiener index in KNP (0.90) was smaller than that in the tropical countries (2.99). We recommend strengthening effective comanagement of PAs and enabling nonforestry income generation activities for the forest-dependent people so that the biodiversity of the PAs can be enriched while people’s livelihoods are ensured.

Species diversity and habitat preferences of amphibian fauna in six protected areas of Bangladesh

Study on amphibian species diversity and habitat preferences was conducted in six protected areas of Bangladesh between March 2011 and July 2012. A total of 32 species of amphibians were recorded under six families. Family Dicroglossidae comprised the highest number of species (12) where Bufonidae the lowest (1 species). Among these species 34% were uncommon, 31% common, 19% rare and 16% very common. Alpha diversity was the highest in Dudpukuria- Dhopachari Wildlife Sanctuary (28) and the lowest in Sitakunda Eco-park (13). Beta diversity was the highest (11) between Inani Protected Forest and Sitakunda Eco-park and the lowest (3) between Dudpukuria-Dhopachari Wildlife Sanctuary and Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary. Jaccard index of similarity among the amphibian communities was the highest (J=0.90) between Dudpukuria-Dhopachari Wildlife Sanctuary and Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary and the lowest (J=0.54) between Inani Protected Forest and Sitakunda Eco-park. Fifty percent of the species were found to use more than two habitats, while only 16% species were restricted to a single habitat. Significant number of the species (20 species) were found to use forest edges, aquatic environment (19 species), forest floor (15 species), agricultural land (13 species), bushes (7 species) and tree habitats (3 species).Bangladesh J. Zool. 42(1): 105-116, 2014

Structure and composition of understory treelets and overstory trees in a protected area of Bangladesh

Species diversity, composition, and structure of the understory treelet and overstory tree layers were investigated at Lawachara National Park in Bangladesh. Plots were taken following a systematic sampling technique from the whole forest during January to May 2012. In this study, all the overstory trees (diameter at breast height [DBH] ≥ 10 cm) and understory treelets (2 cm ≤ DBH < 10 cm) were investigated and the structure and diversity between them were compared. A total number of 347 individual trees belonging to 69 species and 29 families, and 311 individual treelets belonging to 61 species and 27 families were found in this study. Artocarpus chaplasha and Terminalia catappa were the most important species of tree and treelet respectively. The five most important families both for trees and treelets were Meliaceae, Elaeocarpaceae, Lythraceae, Combretaceae, and Moraceae. The different diversity indices and true diversity value indicate that the overstory tree layer was much more diverse than the understory treelet layer and thus trees may be an appropriate representation of the diversity status of a particular tropical forest type. However, treelet diversity at Lawachara National Park is also considerable and more attention needs to be paid to include treelets in any biodiversity inventory of tropical forest regardless of the size limit of 10 cm DBH.

Threats to the Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary of Bangladesh

Loss of wildlife, encroachment on forest lands and illegal cutting of trees are the major culprits of management of protected areas (PAs) of Bangladesh. To increase support from local communities and ensure long-term sustainability for Forest PAs in Bangladesh, including Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary (TWS), community-based conservation approach was introduced by Bangladesh Forest Department. In this study, the effectiveness of forest co-management approach for reducing threats was assessed through key informant interviews, and focus group discussions (FGDs) at TWS. Secondary data were also collected from official document reviews, project reports, journals, books. The study found six direct threats at TWS. Among these, wood collection was the most severe threat. The findings also revealed that, through threat reduction indices, illegal logging, encroachment and hunting, grazing was reduced at a great extent in TWS. We suggest that continuation of co-management of TWS can conserve its natural resources in a sustainable way.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jesnr.v7i1.22176 J. Environ. Sci. &amp; Natural Resources, 7(1): 233-239 2014

Comparing the effectiveness of forest law enforcement and economic incentives to prevent illegal logging in Bangladesh

Enforcement of the law is the most widely practiced strategy to prevent illegal logging in tropical developing countries, though the efficacy of such practice has often been questioned. We examined the effectiveness of forest law enforcement and different forms of economic incentives to curb the activities of illegal loggers. Thirty households, both with and without economic incentives, were interviewed in 2007 and 2009 in two protected areas of Bangladesh, namely the Lawachara National Park and the Satchari National Park. The enforcement of customary forest law appears to have very little ability to tackle illegal logging, whereas different alternative income-generating options designed to influence the livelihoods of illegal loggers are revealed to be very useful because such initiatives were found to have considerably reduced both the number of illegal loggers and the frequencies and amount of timber harvested illegally in both sites. Interestingly, illegal loggers responded most positively when they found themselves much closer to forests with clearly defined rights and responsibilities. Securing development of local forest users with tenure rights and greater access to alternative income-generating options, market regulation, and institutional and regulatory reform are critical to control illegal logging and to guarantee the sustainability of declining forest resources.

A journey towards shared governance: status and prospects for collaborative management in the protected areas of Bangladesh

Establishment of Protected Areas (PAs), in the face of rapid deforestation, forest degradation and climate change has been one of the key efforts in conservation of biodiversity worldwide in recent times. While Bangladesh has gained a degree of prominence in the world for its successful social forestry programs, the concept of collaborative protected area management is rather new in the country, initiated in 2004 by the Bangladesh Forest Department in five PAs with financial assistance from USAID. Based on empirical evidence from three of the pilot PAs, we examined the achievements and associated challenges and prospects for co-management. Our fieldwork revealed a number of challenges faced by co-management institutions: (1) institutions were dominated by the elite group, overshadowing the voice of the community people; (2) mutual trust and collective performance are key to good governance but had not taken root in the PAs; (3) encroachment onto forest land and subsequent conversion to agriculture remained a serious problem that discouraged forest-dependent people from participating actively in co-management initiatives; (4) legal provisions (including acts, rules and policies) were not clearly and adequately disseminated and understood at the community level; (5) there remained a degree of ambiguity regarding the roles and responsibilities of forest department (FD) and co-management committees (CMC) in field operations, and this was not enhancing transparency and accountability of the overall initiative; (6) the long-term sustainability of co-management institutions was another major concern, as the local intuitional structure was still in a nascent stage, and provisioning of resources (either internally or externally) remained somewhat uncertain. We offer recommendations for improvement.

Floral composition and biodiversity conservation in homestead forests in Mymensingh, Bangladesh

Continued denudation of forest vegetation in national forests and protected areas of Bangladesh, due to increasing population and other biotic and abiotic pressures, poses a threat to forest productivity and biodiversity. Homestead forests, although mostly in scattered areas, provide most of the total supply of timber and timber products in Bangladesh. This study investigated the biodiversity of homestead forests in the Mymensingh District, Bangladesh. We studied the composition, diversity and structure of homestead forest species through empirical field research. A total of 43 woody perennials and 38 vegetables species were found in the study sites. Banana, betel nut, jackfruit, mango, mahogany, teak and acacia constituted the major floral composition. The abundance of horticultural species was higher than that of the timber species in all the study sites. However, among the newly planted homestead plants, timber species are gradually increasing. This trend of floral dynamics indicates a probable change in future homestead plant structure and composition. This study confirms that the homestead forests of Bangladesh are rich in plant species diversity even distributed sporadically in small areas. With appropriate models, based on both traditional and scientific knowledge, homestead forestry could emerge as an effective means for both economic well-being and biodiversity conservation in Bangladesh.

Human attitudes towards the conservation of protected areas: a case study from four protected areas in Bangladesh

AbstractThis study was based on interviews with 388 randomly selected households living near four protected areas in northern and south-eastern Bangladesh: Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary, Teknaf Game Reserve and two forest reserves. The respondents were generally poor and their perception of conservation varied across the study areas. Respondents were generally reluctant to embrace conservation and their attitude towards the conservation of protected areas depended on a set of demographic and socio-economic factors. People in northern Bangladesh had somewhat more positive attitudes towards conservation than those in the south-east. The two most important variables explaining respondents’ attitudes towards conservation were the distance they lived from protected areas and their monthly income. People who are poor and who live closer to the protected areas disliked the conservation measures most.

Human–wildlife conflicts and management options in Bangladesh, with special reference to Asian elephants (Elephas maximus)

In this study, we explored the interaction between humans and Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). We analysed local mitigation techniques and propose possible measures to reduce human–elephant conflicts. For four protected areas in Bangladesh, we investigated how people interact with elephants and other crop-damaging species. Crop-damaging species differed from site to site, but elephants were generally the most frequent offenders. Although some people were able to control crop damage caused by other wildlife, damage caused by wild elephants was mostly uncontrollable. Forest villagers were somewhat tolerant of damage caused by other wildlife but they were not tolerant of damage caused by wild elephants. Tolerance of crop damage caused by wildlife other than wild elephants tended to increase with distance of respondents from protected areas. Non-tolerance of crop damage caused by wildlife was more common in southeast Bangladesh than in the north. Habitat destruction, caused by high population growth and poverty, appeared to be a major cause for increasing human–elephant conflict. There is an urgent need for adoption of an umbrella strategy (e.g. estimate the size of elephant populations, develop landscape-scale conservation plans and create forest buffer zones under community-based natural resource management schemes) in the use of conflict mitigation as a conservation tool for Asian elephants.

Herbal Medicine in Stroke

See related article, pages 1973–1979. The lack of effective and widely applicable pharmacological treatments for ischemic stroke patients may explain a growing interest in traditional medicines, for which extensive observational and anecdotal experience has accumulated over the past thousand years. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines traditional medicine as “health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant, animal and mineral based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises, applied singularly or in combination to treat, diagnose and prevent illnesses or maintain well-being”.1 Unlike Western medicine, which focuses on disease, traditional medicine takes the approach that the body provides external clues to an internal imbalance that can be addressed by interventions such as herbs and acupuncture (holistic treatment approach).2 According to a 2003 WHO report,1 traditional medicine is very popular in all developing countries, and its use is rapidly increasing in industrialized countries. For example, traditional herbal preparations account for 30% to 50% of the total medicinal consumption in China. In Europe, North America and other industrialized regions, over 50% of the population have used traditional medicine at least once. The global market for herbal medicines currently stands at over US $60 billion annually and is growing steadily.1 In recent years, several reviews have been published on the effect and potential benefits of traditional Eastern medicine in stroke.3–7 It has been suggested that some herbal medicines, or their products, may improve microcirculation in the brain,4,8 protect against ischemic reperfusion injury,8,9 possess neuroprotective properties3,4 and inhibit apoptosis,10 thus justifying their use in ischemic stroke patients. However, unlike industrially manufactured pharmacological drugs used in Western medicine, the active (potent) components of herbal medicines often have not been specified and measured precisely, although there have been recent attempts to regulate dosages and use of …