Journal of Science, Technology and Environment Informatics |
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Title : Coastal afforestation in Bangladesh to combat climate change induced hazards
Sk. Ahiul Islam (1) and Md. Mijanur Rahman (2)
(1) Plantation Trial Unit Division, Bangladesh Forest Research Institute, Barisal, Bangladesh
(2) Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS), Dhaka, Bangladesh
Volume 02, Issue 01, July 2015, pp. 13-25.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18801/jstei.020115.12
Sk. Ahiul Islam (1) and Md. Mijanur Rahman (2)
(1) Plantation Trial Unit Division, Bangladesh Forest Research Institute, Barisal, Bangladesh
(2) Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS), Dhaka, Bangladesh
Volume 02, Issue 01, July 2015, pp. 13-25.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18801/jstei.020115.12
| coastal_afforestation_in_bangladesh_to_combat_climate_change_induced_hazards.pdf |
ABSTRACT
The coastal zone of Bangladesh is extremely vulnerable to the impact of climate change. The coastal populations are mostly poor, some of them are landless and they earn their livelihood through agriculture, fishing, shrimp farming, salt farming etc. As the poor groups they are severely affected by climate related disaster and hazards. Climate change induced disasters destroy their livelihood options and increase peoples vulnerabilities. The devastating cyclone that occurred in 1991, Sidr in 2007, Nargis in 2008 and Aila in 2009, that killed thousands of people and destroyed inhabitation and infrastructures in the coastal areas of Bangladesh. Creation of mangrove and non-mangrove plantations along the coastal belt is highly desirable for reducing vulnerabilities and hazards of extreme weather events like cyclone and storm surges as green shelterbelt. Bangladesh Forest Department has already been raised large scale plantations mainly with Sonneratia apetala in all along the coastal belt to create a green shelterbelt. But these established plantations are facing tremendous pressure due to insect infestation, rising up forest floor and lack of inundation resulted large gaps inside plantations. From the available research findings, some of the other mangrove species are found suitable for planting inside the gaps of these plantations. Moreover, some of the non-mangrove species are found promising for planting in the raised coastal lands and embankment. Therefore, the selected promising species can be planted in the accreted lands, roadside, embankment and marginal lands for creating dense vegetation which can reduce the impact of all weather events resulting from climate change. Multi-species mangrove plantations can also be established in the accreted lands for long term sustainability of coastal ecosystem. The coastal community can be incorporated to the afforestation programmes for the sustainable development of coastal forestry. Thus they will be socially and environmentally benefited.
Key words: Climate change, Coastal belt, afforestation, mangrove species and non-mangrove species
The coastal zone of Bangladesh is extremely vulnerable to the impact of climate change. The coastal populations are mostly poor, some of them are landless and they earn their livelihood through agriculture, fishing, shrimp farming, salt farming etc. As the poor groups they are severely affected by climate related disaster and hazards. Climate change induced disasters destroy their livelihood options and increase peoples vulnerabilities. The devastating cyclone that occurred in 1991, Sidr in 2007, Nargis in 2008 and Aila in 2009, that killed thousands of people and destroyed inhabitation and infrastructures in the coastal areas of Bangladesh. Creation of mangrove and non-mangrove plantations along the coastal belt is highly desirable for reducing vulnerabilities and hazards of extreme weather events like cyclone and storm surges as green shelterbelt. Bangladesh Forest Department has already been raised large scale plantations mainly with Sonneratia apetala in all along the coastal belt to create a green shelterbelt. But these established plantations are facing tremendous pressure due to insect infestation, rising up forest floor and lack of inundation resulted large gaps inside plantations. From the available research findings, some of the other mangrove species are found suitable for planting inside the gaps of these plantations. Moreover, some of the non-mangrove species are found promising for planting in the raised coastal lands and embankment. Therefore, the selected promising species can be planted in the accreted lands, roadside, embankment and marginal lands for creating dense vegetation which can reduce the impact of all weather events resulting from climate change. Multi-species mangrove plantations can also be established in the accreted lands for long term sustainability of coastal ecosystem. The coastal community can be incorporated to the afforestation programmes for the sustainable development of coastal forestry. Thus they will be socially and environmentally benefited.
Key words: Climate change, Coastal belt, afforestation, mangrove species and non-mangrove species
Citation:
Islam, S. A. & Rahman, M. M. (2015). Coastal afforestation in Bangladesh to combat climate change induced hazards. Journal of Science, Technology & Environment Informatics, 02(01), 13–25.
Islam, S. A. & Rahman, M. M. (2015). Coastal afforestation in Bangladesh to combat climate change induced hazards. Journal of Science, Technology & Environment Informatics, 02(01), 13–25.
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