Management of Village Common Forests in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh: Historical Background and Current Issues in Terms of Sustainability

This study was conducted to investigate the historical management system of village common forests (VCF) in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh and observe the current issues related to their sustainability. The study on historical context was based on secondary information to establish the linkages of VCF development and management in the CHT. Field visits to four VCF in the Bandarban Hill Districts were also conducted to cross check the information collected from secondary sources to observe the current status and management pattern of these VCF through semi-structured interviews, group discussion, key-informant interviews and biodiversity assessment. VCF in the CHT undoubtedly play an important role in biodiversity conservation and as well as supporting daily necessities of the community people. We found that VCF still are the source of fuel wood, herbs, roots, bamboo shoots, wild fruits, vines or leaves for cooking or medicinal use necessary to sustain the lives of the indigenous communities in the CHT. Field visits to different VCF show that the VCF are necessarily small in size (57 ha) and around 108 families are dependent on these community managed village forests. A total of 163 plant species from 60 families were also recorded from these VCF including some rare plant and animal species which are not usually found in the reserve forests and the un-classed state forests due to continued deforestation and land degradation. However, population pressure combined with improved marketing facilities, ignorance, over exploitation, personal greed, tenure insecurity, faulty government policies regarding settlement of land and breakdown of the traditional systems exerting pressures on these VCF and the overall condition of these important biodiversity rich areas are degrading or shrinking in size and number gradually. Recognizing the traditional and customary resource rights of the indigenous communities in the CHT, acknowledging resource management system, providing tenure security, encouraging communities through legal and financial incentives in protecting these VCF or any other state owned forest areas solely for the conservation of biodiversity following an intensive management plan, resolving long lasting land related conflicts, and at the same time upholding the spirit of CHT Peace Accord 1997 could be important policy tools for the sustainability of these VCF in the CHT. Lessons learned from this study will be useful in formulating effective policies for community based forest management in Bangladesh and other developing countries.

A multi-purpose National Forest Inventory in Bangladesh:design,operationalisation and key results

Background:National forest inventory and forest monitoring systems are more important than ever considering continued global degradation of trees and forests.These systems are especially important in a country like Bangladesh,which is characterised by a large population density,climate change vulnerability and dependence on natural resources.With the aim of supporting the Government’s actions towards sustainable forest management through reliable information,the Bangladesh Forest Inventory(BFI)was designed and implemented through three components:biophysical inventory,socio-economic survey and remote sensing-based land cover mapping.This article documents the approach undertaken by the Forest Department under the Ministry of Environment,Forests and Climate Change to establish the BFI as a multipurpose,efficient,accurate and replicable national forest assessment.The design,operationalization and some key results of the process are presented.Methods:The BFI takes advantage of the latest and most well-accepted technological and methodological approaches.Importantly,it was designed through a collaborative process which drew from the experience and knowledge of multiple national and international entities.Overall,1781 field plots were visited,6400 households were surveyed,and a national land cover map for the year 2015 was produced.Innovative technological enhancements include a semi-automated segmentation approach for developing the wall-to-wall land cover map,an object-based national land characterisation system,consistent estimates between sample-based and mapped land cover areas,use of mobile apps for tree species identification and data collection,and use of differential global positioning system for referencing plot centres.Results:Seven criteria,and multiple associated indicators,were developed for monitoring progress towards sustainable forest management goals,informing management decisions,and national and international reporting needs.A wide range of biophysical and socioeconomic data were collected,and in some cases integrated,for estimating the indicators.Conclusions:The BFI is a new information source tool for helping guide Bangladesh towards a sustainable future.Reliable information on the status of tree and forest resources,as well as land use,empowers evidence-based decision making across multiple stakeholders and at different levels for protecting natural resources.The integrated socioeconomic data collected provides information about the interactions between people and their tree and forest resources,and the valuation of ecosystem services.The BFI is designed to be a permanent assessment of these resources,and future data collection will enable monitoring of trends against the current baseline.However,additional institutional support as well as continuation of collaboration among national partners is crucial for sustaining the BFI process in future.