MAPPING AND PROFILING OF FORESTS AND WETLANDS FOR CONSERVATION AND TOURISM

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Deciduous forest is distributed mostly over the Madhupur tract which lies between one and ten meters above the adjacent floodplains. The higher level lands are known as ‘Chala’ and the valleys, ‘Baid’. This type of topography is the most unique topography that we have in our site, Kaliakoir, Gazipur.

‘Chala’ is mainly appropriate for settlement and forestry.

‘Baid’ is appropriate for cultivation as it fills up with water during rainy season.

Baid Chala Baid Chala

Baid and Chala(partially conserved forestry)

Baid and Chala

Baid (Probable flood affected area)

Baid

Danga (Probable soil erosion area)

Encroachment Conservation TourismPresent & Past

Condition

Types Of Forest Mangrove Forest

Tropical Evergreen and Semi evergreen Forest

Tropical moist Deciduous Forest

Area(m ha) Percentage

.73 4.95

.67 4.54

.12 .81

17% forest and homegardens of the country

Forest-Bangladesh scenario

Sal ForestUntil the beginning of the 20th century, SAL forests existed as a continuous belt from Comilla to Darjeeling in India. Present notified area is largely honeycombed with rice fields.1985-about 36% existed At recent-less than 10% of forest cover remains

Surveyed area

The chronology of major events in forest management in this deciduousforestland is as follows:

Before 1917: Management of forest by private owners.

1917: Appearance of first forest management plan for Bhawal Sal forest by J.R.P. Gent, the then D.C.F. of Bengal.

1950: New settlements within the forest; Enactment of State Acquisition and Tenancy Act,1950.

1956: Dhaka Mymensingh Forest Division was separated and Mymensingh Forest Division was created.

1962: Establishment of Madhupur National Park (area 8436 ha) for conservation,research, education and recreation.

1969: Tangail forest Division was established

1972: Enforcement of moratorium on all kind of extraction from the forest.

1979: After liberalization (in 1971), the Bangladesh government formulated a policy statement in 1979, but no clear reference to functional classification and use of forest land

1982: Establishment of Bhawal National Park (area 5 022ha) for conservation, research, education and recreation.

1989:Initiation of participatory forestry (social forestry) programme by the forest department(FD) with financial help of ADB.initially 238 ha area taken.

1992: Preparation of Forestry Master Plan that properly addressed future management priorities in Sal forest.

1994:Promulgation of latest forest policy with a provision-“State-owned hill and Sal forests will be managed as production forest except those declared as ‘ Protected Areas ’ for preserving soil, water and biodiversity. The production forests will be managed on a commercial basis with due consideration to the environment”

2001: Harvesting of mature trees in the participatory forestry plantation began in Sal forest

Present social forestry programs in Madhupur Sal forest area of Bangladesh.Source: GOB 2010.

Social ForestryPrograms Area(ha) Remarks Total Participants

Woodlot 1382 Cash income; enhance deforestation and negative ecological impact

Agroforestry 525 Subsistence and cash income; increase deForestation and 3327 negative ecological impactSal coppicesmanagement 702 Totally failure and land conversion

Buffer zone management 252 Mostly failure and land conversion

PRESENT CONDITION

1971- 1990

BEFORE 1971

Forest

Flora: Sal (Shorea robusta), Koroi (Albizzia spp.), Raintree (Albizzia saman), Sissoo(Dalbergia sissoo), Bohera (Terminalia belerica), Horitaki (Terminalia chebula),Kanchan (Bauhinia acuminata), Polash (Butea monosperma) etc.` Fauna: Monkey (Macaca mulatta), Barking deer (Muntiacus muntjac), Spotted deer(Axis axis), Langur, Fishing cat, Marbled cat, Jackel (Canis aureus), numerous snakesand birds.

Changing Biodiversity

Wetland types• River• Beel• Pond• Baid

Turag river

Dry Season (November-April)

Wet Season (May-October)

Markas beel

Ujan beel

Dholsomudro pond

Poshchim baid

Dry Season (November-April)

Wet Season (May-October)

Biodiversity of wetlands

Sal forest Village settlement River Village settlement Sal forest

Acacia Forest Road

SalForest

Village settlement

River Riverside Industries Road

Citysettlement

Encroachment

Dhaka Resort

Ananda park and Resort

Road Sal forest Homestead forestAcacia plantation

Fast GrowthSOCIAL FORESTRYPlantation of ACACIAAdvantages of Acacia or Akashmoni

Fuel woodPulp and Paper

WoodAgro forestry Species

Soil Stabilization

Social forestry Changing the ECONOMY of PeopleWhat about the harmful effect of Social Forestry?

Excess water consumption

Changing Ecosystem

Infertility of soil

Declination of other plant species

Conservation for the future

• Sal forest is a natural home for Shorea robusta, therefore major attention should be placed on increasing its productivity rather replacing it with other species.

• Sal coppice management should be done with more importance cause it can be much more productive than block plantation per hectare basis.

• Agroforestry should be given priority over woodlots where possible. Different studies (e.g. Ahmed 2007, Safa 2004,Muhammed et al. 2007)) have indicated that agroforestry is more viable than woodlot management.

• Salforests management will need to be modernized through a long-term forest master plan,including all relevant stakeholders in this process.

• Further encroachment must be stopped.• Alternative income generating activity must be initiated.

Markas BeelTurag river

Small and medium size industry within Kodda bridge to Chandra

Chandra

Shafipur BazarMouchak

BCSIC

Kasshimpur

Kodda Bridge

Construction of bridge and Culvart

River Encroachment

2500 Illegal PillarsIllegal Settlement

Large Number of Industries

Decreasing Depth of River

Threat to Biodiversity

Consequences

The Daily Sun says, “Buriganga 3rd bridge area at Bashila and Tongi bridge area are the most polluted points”

A world Bank Study says, “Four mejor rivers near Dhaka , Buriganga, Shitalakhya, Turag and Balu receive 1.5 million cubic meters of waste water everyday from 7000 industrial units in surrounding areas.

Acoording to a research , “ During dry season there is 1.9mg/litre dissolved oxygen in Turag river, but the required level of oxygen is 5 mg/litre for the survival of any aquatic lives. “

Dam construction in Tarakandi

Biswa Ijtema

Bangladesh enacted a law in 1995 Making it compulsory for all industrial units to use Effluent Treatment Plants (ETP) In a bid to save river pollution and ecology of wetlands.

Bangladesh enacted a law that, Any structure in between 150 ft of the river side is forbidden.

But is there anyone to abide by the laws???

Industrial survey by Bangladesh Centre says, 40% industries have ETPs, 10% industries are under construction of ETPs, 50% industries have no provision of ETP establishment.

Wetlands are Kidneys of earth

Rapid growth of illegal Industries and settlements

Our site is a composition of Forest and Wetland

Water Pollution at large scale Plantation of Acacia

Pollution of

waterbody

Degradation of Forest and Wetland

Quality

Changing Ecosystem

Changing Biodiversity

Changing Lifestyle

জন জমি� জল

Eco-tourism

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) in 1990, ecotourism is "Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people."

Purpose• Involves travel to natural destinations• Conservation of biological diversityand cultural • Diversity through ecosystem protection• Promotion of sustainable use of biodiversity, by providing jobs

to local populations• Provides direct financial benefits for conservation• Provides financial benefits and empowerment for local people

travel to destinations where flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions.

Conservation Community Interpretation

Offering market-linked long-term solutions, ecotourism provides effective economic incentives for conserving and enhancing bio-cultural diversity and helps protect the natural and cultural heritage

By increasing local capacity building and employment opportunities, ecotourism is an effective vehicle for empowering local communities around the world to fight against poverty and to achieve sustainable development.

With an emphasis on enriching personal experiences and environmental awareness through interpretation, ecotourism promotes greater understanding and appreciation for nature, local society, and culture.

Design Considerations

• The two most strong forces of our surveyed are are topographical difference and natural settings according to that topography.so we must consider this while starting our design.

• The site and surroundings gets different looks on sesonal variation.so it must be considered

• It has a strong tourism potentiality, so further design in the site should be such,that promote tourism.

• Different soil type is a structural consideration here.• Last of all,this is a vulnerable site,so sensitive and ecofriendly design

approach must be taken which doesnt affect site surroundings.