Present Practicies in forest Management

Present activities in forest Management Practices: The present activities in forest management are agroforestry, homestead plantation, strip plantation, participatory forestry on encroached forest, Social forestry activities, mangrove afforestation on newly accreted land in the coastal area, conservation area management to preserve wildlife habitat and biodiversity, development of resources information management system (RIMS) etc. These activities are stated below in detail:

Resource Information Management System: Bangladesh Forest Department initiated the Resource Information Management System (RIMS) during 1984-85 under the auspices of IDA funded Second Forestry Project. The main objective of the RIMS was to produce reports and maps relevant to all aspects of the management plan, silvicultural prescriptions and to provide information on present and predicted yields from relevant operations. This was designed as an aid to intensive forest resource management of all Forest Divisions through management plans and also in perspective planning in forestry. Thus the RIMS is a two way information system. The raw data are supplied to the computer from the field divisions. The processed information are sent back to the field Divisions from the RIMS Unit. After performing operations, the data on new situation are fed to the computer for updating the database.

Along with the technological development RIMS Unit adopted Geographical Information System (GIS), a computer based data management, mapping and analyzing system of spatial information. Forest Department integrated GIS with the existing RIMS under the World Bank financed Forest Resources Management Project (FRMP) in mid 90’s. RIMS/GIS unit now is bestowed with modern GIS setup with state of the art and technology, software, computers, plotters, digitizers and experienced personnel as well.

Social Forestry

Social Forestry programs have been initiated with a view to meet the forest product requirements of local population and to reverse the process of ecological and climatic degradation through proper soil and water conservation and to improve the socio economic condition of the rural people.

Social Forestry programs have following objectives:

1.To meet the needs for fuelwood, small timber, bamboo, fodder and other minor forest produces on sustained basis.

2. To provide employment opportunities to the rural population.
3.To develop cottage industries in rural areas.
4.To utilize the available land to the best advantage according to its production capacity.
5.To provide efficient soil and water conservation.
6. To improve aesthetic value of the area and to meet the recreational needs of the population.

Social Forestry Achievements
From 1981 to 2003 under Social Forestry Programs are summarized which are as follows:

During last 22 years Woodlot / Block plantation work is done in 32,640 ha of land. Agroforestry plantation work is done in 8,778 ha of lands. Strip plantation works is done in 86,338 km (including WFP assisted part) roads, Rehabilitation of Jhumias are approximately 6,321 families, Village afforestation was done among 7,282 villages of the country. 168 million nos. of Institutional planting & Seedling distribution / sale is done. Establishment of SFNTC (Social Forestry Nursery and Trainig Center) is 98 Nos. Establishment of SFPC (Social Forestry Plantation Center) is 345 Nos. 1,77,261 persons got Training on Social Forestry works. Addition to that in every upazila, there is a Forest Department’s Nursery center. Moreover 12,000 private nurseries have been established throughout the country.

The benefit-sharing ratio for Social forestry plantations

1. For Agroforestry and Woodlot Plantations: The benefit-sharing ratio is Forest Dept.-45%, Participants-45% and Tree Farming Fund-10% of the total benefits.

2. For Linear Strip Plantations: The benefit-sharing ratio is Forest Dept.-10%, Participants-55%, Tree Farming Fund-10%, Land owning agency-20% and Local Union Parishad 5% of the total benefits.

3. For Sal coppices: The benefit-sharing ratio is Forest Dept.-65%, Participants-25% and Tree Farming Fund-10% of the total benefits.

Past Major Social Forestry Activities under development projects:

1. Sundarban Biodiversity Conservation Project (Currently suspended Loan No. 1643-BAN[SF]; EA: FD; Duration 1999-2006).

2. Forestry Sector Project (ADB Loan No. 1468-BAN[SF]; Duration: 1998-2004, EA: FD).

3. Forest Resources Management Project: Forest Directorate Component (IDA Grant and WFP Assistance Duration: 1992-2001 EA: FD)

4. Coastal Green Belt Project: (ADB Loan No.1353-BAN[SF]; EA: FD; Duration 1995-2002)

5. Upazila Afforestation and Nursery Development Project (ADB Loan No.0956-BAN [SF]; EA: FD; Duration 1989-1996)

6. Community Forestry Project (ADB Loan No. 555-BAN; EA:FD; Duration 1981-1988).

Agro Forestry

As a concept, Agroforestry is not new in forestry practice. Forest Department has been practicing this in the name of Taungya in the hill forest for last 100 years. But as a science for natural resource management, it is new. Agroforestry as the name implies is the practice of growing agriculture and forestry on the same land at same time to optimize the land utilization. In the plain land forest i.e. in Sal Forest, Forest Department is practicing this system for decades together on a participatory approach to replant the barren forestland and after harvest; a share will go to the participating members. This is a multipurpose approach to replant barren land with the help of participants and protect it by them to build up forest resources. At the end of the rotation, the shares of the harvested forest produces are distributed to the participants in accordance to an agreement with the participants.

This concept is doing well in the ‘Sal Forest’ of Dhaka, Tangail, Mymensing, Rajshahi, Rangpur and Dinajpur. New programs of agroforestry have been incorporated in the ADB aided Forestry Sector Project launched by the Forest Department. In this project 6450 hectare of new plantations will be raised on the degraded Sal Forest and another 5400 hectare will be raised on the harvested land of old Agroforestry plantations.

The Betagi-Pomora Agroforestry Experience: When one talks about agroforestry advances in Bangladesh, the experiences gained in the two hilly villages of Rangunia Thana, Chittagong district are invariably mentioned. The Betagi-Pomora project aimed at achieving three goals:

1) To regenerate denuded hills by planting trees
2) To rehabilitate the landless farmers and
3) To protect the forest from the illegal felling with the help of the settlers.

The project began functioning at Betagi with 82 landless families in 1979; later in 1980 with another 144 families, settled at Pomora. The Betagi-Pomora project has been widely acclaimed in a number of studies as a success story of social forestry. The criteria for selection of landless farmers were as follows:

1.Having no land at all,
2.possessing a homestead only, or
3.possessing a homestead, pond, and other land that together do not exceed 40 decimals

Initially a 4-acre plot was given lease to all settlers of the two villages on a temporary lease basis with some conditions.

The economic conditions of the settlers have significantly improved since the inception of the project. Their income has actually increased three times which is very encouraging. More than half of the income comes from agroforestry products.

Another rehabilitition project for the tribal families in Bandarban, sharon para launched in 1981. Only landless farmers of the Hill Tract were selected. Each selected farmer family was allocated 2 ha. of land, 1.8 ha for farm land and 0.2ha for homestead. Each of these families was allowed to raise agricultural crops in between the rows of forest trees over an area of 5 ha. The land use permit was awarded to the farmers permanently which helped to win their confidence in the program. The farmers ha enjoy all outputs from the allocated 5. In addition they are given 25% of the revenue from the thinning as well as 10% of the final harvest from the 5 ha of plantation in which they are employed as labors at rate of Tk. 30 a day. This rehabilitation program is reported to be a successful one in parts of Chittagong Hill Tracts particularly in Sharon Para.

Participatory Forestry:From last two decades there has been a gradual shift in the forest management approach adopted by Forest Department i.e from its traditional custodian role to a more participatory approach. Accordingly the provision of people’s participation in protecting the natural forest and afforesting the degraded and encroached forestland with benefit sharing mechanism has been developed and people’s participation has been ensured.

The ADB funded Community Forestry Project implemented in the seven northern districts from 1981 to 1987 paved the foundation of Participatory forestry in Bangladesh. Following this other ADB funded project named ‘Thana afforestation and nursery development project’, ‘Green Belt project’ were implemented and now ‘Forestry sector project’ is being implemented throughout the country. Major components of this project are: Woodlot, Agro forestry and Strip plantations etc.

NWFP (Non Wood Forest Products): Some of the important non-wood forest products are listed below: -

1.Bamboo (Melocanna baccifera, Bambusa tulda etc.)Plays a very crucial role in our rural economy and is a singular essential material for construction of temporary house / shelter for the rural people, especially for the hilly tribal people.

2.Sungrass (Imperata spp.)The most common roofing / thatching material for temporary low -cost housing in the villages and forest terrain's of Bangladesh.

3.Cane (Calamus viminalis,Calamus guruba)Used for domestic purposes by the rural people, but more so, for sophisticated furniture making & luxury souvenir articles.

4.Pati Pata / Murta (Clinogynae dichotoma)This is an excellent material for floor-mats (Pati), which is extensively used by the poor villagers and also as a luxury item for the rich people. This is also exported by the cottage industries as a finished product.

5.Gol-Pata (Nypa fruticans) This is a very popular and essential thatching / roofing material for poor people, around Khulna, Bagerhat and Satkhira districts and fetches handsome revenue for the Forest Department.

6.Leaves, Bark & Fruits"Kurus pata'' Holarrhena antidysenterica is very popular for medicinal use. Horitaki (Terminalia chebula), Amlaki (Phyllanthus emblica), Bohera (Terminalia belerica) popularly called "Trifala" (Myrabolum) are used as medicine in the country.

7.HoneyUsed as food, drink, beverage and also as a medicine in the country.

8. Shells, Conch-Shells, oysters etc Considerable quantity of shells, oysters, conchshells are collected by local inhabitants, as a means of livelihood in the coastal forest-belts, like Cox's Bazar, Teknaf, Moheshkhali, Barisal, Patuakhali, Sundarbans etc. These are highly priced by tourists as souvenir articles and as such may be exported.

9. Fish Resources In rivers flowing inside forest areas like Sundarbans, Chittagong Hill Tracts and Sylhet (as well as in the coastal belts and offshore islands under the jurisdiction of Forest Department) considerable quantity of different types of fish (both sweet-water and saline fish) are harvested by local fishermen, for which the Forest Department earns revenue.