An overview on the protected area
system for forest conservation in
Bangladesh
Khin Thu Thu Aung - 182028
Irin Akter - 182127
Resource Economics
Group - 4
General Overview
● Forest can be classified as a variety of living and nonliving components dominated by trees. The
living components consist of trees, plants,animals and microscopic organisms, water,rocks. The
nonliving components are sunlight and air.
● Forest conservation is the practice of planting and maintaining forested areas for the benefit and
sustainability of future generations.
● A total of 19 protected areas (PAs) have been established in Bangladesh representing all the four
forest types of the country.
● These PAs not only preserve biological diversity but also provide local inhabitants with a means of
subsistence.
● In order to improve biodiversity conservation with the productive participation of the stakeholders,
this article reviews the information that is currently available on the current situation of PAs and
enunciates future policy implications.
Introduction
● Forestry is a productive sector with significant effects on meeting national socio-economic and
environmental functions as well as the improvement of rural livelihoods (Mbuvi and Boon 2008).
● Forest and environmental managers around the world face difficult problems as a result of
increasing pressure on forest resources from many sectors. These managers must balance the
requirement to meet demand with the need to preserve these vital renewable resources
(Muhammed et al. 2008a).
● According to Matthews (2001), deforestation rates have increased in tropical Africa, remained
stable in Central America, and have only marginally decreased in tropical Asia and South America
in accordance with the current situation.
● Bangladesh, which is made up of a delta plain at the meeting point of three major rivers—the
Padma, the Meghna, and the Jamuna.
● According to Muhammad et al. (2008), the country-wide depletion of natural resources and
degradation of forest ecosystems are the results of the high level of reliance that many people have
on the forests for their livelihoods.
Forests setting of Bangladesh
Scenario of Biodiversity
Conservation scheme through protected areas
● The Bangladesh government realized the weakness of conventional forest management and
continued depletion of forest resources and started to establish PAs in its national forests since
1960.
● The Government articulated national responsibility for the conservation of wildlife species, their
habitats as well by allowing the designation of three IUCN categories of PAs: national parks, wildlife
sanctuaries and game reserves.
● Till to date, there are 19 PAs in Bangladesh
● Among these, 10 are national parks, 9 wildlife sanctuaries and only 1 is game reserve
Co-management Initiatives
● Experience has shown that legal protection alone is not enough to ensure effective conservation
activity.
● A possible alternative is multiple use forest management, which incorporates harvesting of forest
products within a framework of sustainable management that aims at both conserving biodiversity
and supplying to local people and the national economy.
● In Bangladesh, people’s participation in forest management started in 1979 as Betagi-Pomora
Community Forestry Project on government owned denuded hilly forest land.
Impact of Co-management Approach on
Forest Conservation
● Co-management strategy accompanied by AIG (Alternative Income Generation) activities in pilot
PAs has been demonstrating upbeat impacts in Bangladesh.
● The impact are preservation of biodiversity, reduction in dependency on forest resources, socio-
economic upliftment of local communities, women’s empowerment, and self-reliance.
● A study conducted in Lawachara National Park. Subhani (2008) reported that a majority of female
members of the FUG left the profession of fuel wood collection after involvement in co-management
activities in Satchari National Park, who feel that their participation in FUG (forest user group) helps
increase their skills, decision-making power and respect in the eyes of the members of family and
society.
Conclusion
● Like other developing countries, degradation in Bangladesh’s forests results from increasing
population pressure on forest resources, lack of funds to maintain sufficient staff to patrol it, and the
growing public and political view that people have a right to use forests.
● The government policies in different sectors need to be revised to enable more effective co-
management structures which approaches to more human-centered models like community forest.
● Bangladesh had been able to restore 16 ha of forestland with the implementation of community-
based pilot project for the restoration of degraded forests in Chittagong Hill Tracts, the southeastern
hill forest region of the country.
● Community forestry based natural resource management can help promote appropriate utilization
of forest resources with social, economic and environmental benefits.
Thank You
