Ecological and economic value of Bangladesh Sundarbans: User Vs manager perception
S.R. Biswas1§
1IUCN – The World Conservation Union, Bangladesh
M.S.I. Khan1
1IUCN – The World Conservation Union, Bangladesh
and M.S. Iftekhar2
2PDO-ICZMP, Ministry of Water Resources, Bangladesh
Sundarbans, the world’s greatest continuous mangrove expanse, has substantial ecological and economical importance at local, national and global level. It is believed that there exist considerable differences in understanding the importance of the forests viz. ecological and economic between the users and managers.
A perception survey has been carried out to explore the peoples understanding regarding Sundarbans and its values. 120 forest dwellers (based on their economy and major occupation) and 30 forest managers were purposively chosen and interviewed with a structured questionnaire. It has been appeared that the most important economic use of Sundarbans is fuel followed by timber and thatching. But this differs significantly between local people and the managers and with the economic condition and occupation. Rich people and managers consider timber as the most important use while medium and poor category considers fuel. Protection of the hinters land against cyclone and tidal surges, salinity intrusion, pollution sink and bio-diverse zone appeared as the dominating ecological values. Managers and rich people consider bio-diverse zone and protection against cyclone and tidal surges as the two most important uses while medium and poor category people consider protection against cyclone and tidal surges. Ecologically whole mangrove proved important rather than individual grove. All stakeholders have considered human disturbances as the main threat to the forest.
Difference in understanding in natural resources management leads to conflicts. The study suggests appreciation and incorporation of differential understanding on the forests uses during management planning for conservation.
Corresponding author:
§ Shekhar R. Biswas,
IUCN – The World Conservation Union
Bangladesh Country office
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Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
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