Bio-diversity conservation: vision for Bangladesh

Bio-diversity conservation: vision for Bangladesh

By dr.fourkan Ali

Innumerable life forms inhabit this earth. Their life support systems are very complex. No organisms can live alone; everyone depends on others as a member of the plant/animal kingdom and also on non-living matter such as soil, water, air etc. The greater the variety of these organisms (flora and fauna) the richer the bio-diversity. Biological diversity means the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes within species and of ecosystems (CBD, 1994). We are not certain yet about the number of living species in this earth. However, it is said that about 1.5 million species of organisms are living with us.

Importance of bio-diversity: Conservation of biological diversity is essential for keeping agricultural and forestry systems healthy for maintaining the diversity of die sources of pharmaceutical products, for generating income from tourism, for promoting an aesthetic ambience, for stabilizing different ecosystems, for widening the scope of biological investigations and for protection of the overall environmental quality. All the properties and potentials of each species, identified or unidentified, is yet to be known.

Bio-diversity influences people’s economic, social and cultural development and hence their quality of life. The knowledge, cultural traditions, innovations, and management practices of indigenous communities, and the traditional practices of farmers and rural communities concerning bio-diversity, are being threatened in Bangladesh by the destruction and pollution of natural habitats due to our failure to recognize the social, economic, and cultural value of bio This threat and die concomitant destruction are likely to i as population growth continue. It is believed that the problem may be minimized through effective implementation of community- i ho-diversity conservation programmes.

Present status of bio-diversity in Bangladesh: Bangladesh is situated at the complex interface of the Himalayan and the Southeast Asian bio-geographic regions, and historically was well-endowed with very diverse complements of terrestrial and aquatic flora and fauna. Today while habitat destruction and species depletion are prevalent, this diversity still remains within avifauna and icthyfauna, rampant reduction of bio-diversity apparently began in recent years. A generation ago, Bangladesh was very rich in species diversity

Bangladesh possesses rich and diverse genetic resources of flora and fauna because of its climate and fertile of land, it has about S000 species of flowering plants (Angiosperms) and 1500 species of fauna but the number was remarkably more a century ago. However, a proper inventory of the flora and fauna of Bangladesh does not exist in the absence of the National Botanical and Zoological Survey organization. Unfortunately in Bangladesh the forests, which formerly covered most of the land area, have been drastically reduced. At least 94% of the original natural habitat and vegetation has been lost to human settlements and agriculture, and what remains today is a remnant of the forest types that once existed. The deforestation during the period 1981-1990 was about 57,000 hectares as against8000dur1ng the period 1971-1980. If the new plantations (irrespective of their crown cover) and other factors are included in the average annual rate of deforestation, species richness of flora and fauna is greatly diminished. Many species are now extinct in the country and many more species are listed as threatened or endangered,

Regarding animal diversity the only information available is about mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds. But there is no complete agreement about the total number of their species. Sarker and Sarker (1988) reported 932 species of wildlife in Bangladesh, including 123 species of mammals, 154 reptiles, 23 amphibians and 652 birds.

The 632 known bird species represent about half of the total number recorded in the entire Indian subcontinent and 7 per cent of the known species in die world. The number of mammals is about 20 per cent of those in the entire Indian subcontinent. This considerable array of species is significantly less than that of a century ago. Some 18 species no longer occur in the country and many of the remaining ones are greatly reduced in number and in range, There is no comprehensive and authoritative list of endangered wildlife in Bangladesh although a number of lists from various sources do exist : IUCN (1990), Sarker and Sarker (1998) and Rahman and Akonda (1987).

Sarker and Sarker (1998) list 133 species that are threatened or endangered. The IUCN Red Data Book (Green, 1990) and Rahman and Akonda (1987) list 129 species of wildlife as threatened or endangered, including 37 mammals, 21 reptiles, 2 amphibians and 69 birds. In addition, the Red Data Book includes a further 308 species as rare or doubtful. Thus, about 45% of the species of wildlife in the country are rare, threatened or endangered.

Recording floral diversity about 5000 angiospermic plants have been reported to occur in different habitat conditions (Khan, 1990). Three gymnosperm plants have been growing naturally in the humid hill forests. The homestead forests are usually composed of multipurpose in-growing trees, fruit trees, bamboo groves, rattan bushes, medicinal and some aquatic plants.

Bangladesh has rich plant genetic resources of crops, viz. bananas, amaranths, lute, cotton and tea. There are about 8000 varieties of rice and nearly 5000 varieties of other miscellaneous crops (Mahtab, 1991). It is assumed that many of the species of flora have disappeared from in country or are greatly reduced due to factors such as deforestation, conversion of wetland into agricultural land and over-exploitation.

There are about 27 species of threatened vascular plants including 9 endemics (MoEF, 1991, Mahtab, 1991). Eight trees and woody climbers are on the list. Recently the Bangladesh National Herbarium reported a in of 37 endangered or threatened plant species. No detailed information is available about the flora of coastal wetlands except the mangrove ecosystem, i.e. the Sundarbans mangrove forest. In the Sundarbans forest, the principal commercial species, Sundari (Heritiera fomes), is severely infested by top dying due to, some experts believe, mend salinity other species of mangrove trees are also under threat. The salinity intrusion may lead to the depletion of wildlife resources and destruction of habitat for wildlife, especially of the famous Royal Bengal Q Moreover increased salinity also affects the growth of mangrove vegetation greatly including the changes of vegetation composition of the Sundarbans mangrove crest (Ahmed, 1992).

Bangladesh had also about 8000 indigenous rice varieties in the recent past. That natural rice gene bank is now on the verge of vanishing due to introduction of high yielding varieties. Similar is the case with various other aquatic plants of the country (Ahmed, 1995).

Major factors affecting the status of bio-diversity

High population growth: In Bangladesh has been identified as one of its most serious problems. The population boom has the greatest impact on biological resources. Bangladesh's present population density is one of the highest in the world. The total population was estimated to be 140 million by the year 2000, Increase in development or productivity is often eaten up by population growth. A low land/man ratio further intensifies the problem.

Extreme poverty: More than half of the population in Bangladesh is living below the poverty level. Poverty is rather aggravated by the increasing population and the frequent natural calamities. Poverty acts as a catalyst to many forms of environmental degradation, particularly in the case of depleting forests, fisheries and other biological resources. With increasing population, landlessness and poverty environment and sustainable resource management become key issues in development planning.

Natural hazards (Cyclone/Tidal Surge/Flood): Cyclones are recurrent phenomena in the Bay of Bengal. The average annual frequency of tropical cyclones in the Bay of Bengal is about 12, out of which 5 attain cyclonic strength, Of the killer cyclones which develop during spring and autumn, about 75 per cent occur strictly from mid-April to mid-June and mid-September to mid-December In many cases the cyclones may be accompanied by a tidal bore/tidal surge, reaching heights of more than 20 feet, causing mega-deaths, and destroying livestock, trees/vegetation, housing and infrastructure of the country.

Deforestation: The forests of Bangladesh are disappearing at a rapid and accelerating pace quantitatively. Whatever woodlands are there also suffer from a reduction in quality The main causes of deforestation are over-exploitation due to population pressure, encroachments, shifting cultivation, etc. According to a I-‘AO Forest Resource Assessment Report, the rate of deforestation in Bangladesh during the period 1981-1990 was around 3.3% annually excluding new plantations. It is estimated that only about 61% of the Gazette State Forests have tree cover.

Large-scale destruction of forest-cover exposes soil to accelerated erosion, reduces the soil's fertility and moisture retention capacity, causes rapid situation in basins and riverbeds, resulting in drainage congestion and increasing damage from flash floods. But above all, it causes depletion of forest resources and bio-diversity and ultimately degrades the environment.

Water pollution/ water issues: Almost all the rivers and streams in Bangladesh receive untreated wastes from industrial factories, domestic organic wastes (sewage) and industrial chemicals – particularly effluents containing highly toxic agrochemicals - which pollute the aquatic environment, kill a huge number of fish and disrupt the aquatic ecosystem, Very often many of the toxic chemical ingredients are re- circulated in the human body through the ingestion of contaminated fish and other edible organisms, resulting in abnormalities in the human physiological system.

The major water issue relate to dry season phenomenon such as salinity intrusion in the coastal areas, particularly in the southwest, due m reduced and still falling river flow/fresh water flushing. These reduced flows are mainly due to the construction of embankments and polders and other water development activities, causing more silting up of the river channels, depletion of fish resources, reduction of wetland and bio-diversity.

Salinity intrusion/high salinity: The coastal zone is extensively affected by the intrusion of saltwater into the rice growing areas, which reduces or in some cases makes rice production impossible in the coastal areas. There are at least three reasons for which salinity increases in the rice polders: diversion of river water in the upper riparian countries, overuse of fresh water aquifers ar1d upstream withdrawal of river water for irrigation of rice and other crops. The affected areas include the major urban and industrial centre of Khulna and Chittagong. When the stream flow of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and their tributaries diminishes greatly during the dry season, there is substantial inland penetration of salinity through the complex estuarine river system. This salinity intrusion limits opportunity for supplementary irrigation of dry and early monsoon crops in coastal freshwater areas and damages the same crops by flooding during very high tides.

Commercial shrimp cultivation: Large areas of the mangrove forest have been cleared up to meet the increased demand for land that is suitable for shrimp cultivation. This results in the loss of habitats and biodiversity. The existing system of the collection of shrimp fries from natural sources is also responsible to a great extent for the loss of aquatic bio-diversity.

Major management issues of conservation of bio-diversity

Commitment and priority: The issues of conservation and protection of biological diversity have had a low priority in Bangladesh so far this is not surprising in view of the disruptions caused by wars, floods and cyclones in our recent history and the overwhelming demands of a huge population for basic improvements in the provision of food, health-care, shelter and education.

Most species of fauna and flora are disappearing at an alarming rate and the country is approaching a crisis in this regard. Actions to reverse the trend and to conserve die very rich biological heritage of the country are possible. They will not be easy or cheap and can only be achieved with much greater public support than presently exists. A much higher level of understanding and commitment will be required at all levels of government and society Mass campaigns to increase awareness of conservation issues in general, and. the protection of wildlife and natural ecosystems in particular; will be necessary.

Failure of traditional approaches and need for full participation of local people: The traditional approach to prevent people from utilizing the resources of the forests has failed. Encroachment and illicit felling of trees, grazing, and uncontrolled firewood collection are widespread nearly everywhere. The forests of the protected areas of the country are essentially no different than any other forests in this regard.

What is needed is an entirely different approach. This approach must recognize the needs of the local people and seek to satisfy those very basic needs, The wildlife and natural areas cannot be effectively protected without the support of the people who live on the perimeter of the area and depend to some degree on the resources of the area for sustenance, Support can only be gained if their needs are met. Identification of core areas for protection, and of buffer areas which can be managed to meet local needs, is an important component of protected area management. Programmes to provide land to people and to assist them to grow a variety of forest products in the buffer areas will be required in order to protect the core areas. Non-government organizations (NGOs) have a critical role to play in mobilizing local support and launching field programmes which help in the protection of core areas by intensive managing of buffer areas. Direct involvement of the local people should be a key component in developing these programmes.

The state of protected areas: Bangladesh has 14 formally protected natural areas, including five National Parks, eight Wildlife Sanctuaries and one Game Reserve. These cover a total of 227802.02 hectares, about 1.58% of the country only the declaration as World Heritage Site of about 159699 hectares is a remarkable event in this regard. These protected areas are officially but not functionally protected. There are no adequate staffs, funds, plans or activities that could ensure the effective management of these areas for the protection of wildlife and the forested ecosystems as originally intended.

Lack of protection for important ecosystems: Even if the existing 14 protected areas were properly managed and protected, they are inadequate to protect and preserve the biological diversity of the whole country, A number of critical habitats, particularly freshwater wetlands and coastal char lands (shoals), are not represented. The protected areas of the forests do not represent the diversity of the forests' fauna. An expanded network of well-managed, protected areas is essential.

 

Endangered species: The situation of p our wildlife is very serious. As we have noted earlier some 18 species of wildlife have disappeared from Bangladesh in this century at present, 129 species, including 37 mammals, 21 reptiles, 69 birds and 2 amphibians are on the IUCN Red List of endangered species. The situation for a good number of the mammals and reptiles is critical with only a few individuals left. Several have not been seen at all in recent years and may already be extinct. A further 508 species are listed by IUCN as rare or doubtful. Thus, nearly 50% of all the wildlife species in the country are rare or threatened. About 20% of the birds known to have occurred in the count have not been seen in the last 20 years. Only 60 (about 10%) of the 68 known bird species are secure in their status.

A similar situation exists for the flora although the data is far from sufficient, Some 27 plant species are listed as threatened or endangered and many more could be in the same sorry position.

Lack of awareness and inadequate enforcement of lava whatever laws we have related to the conservation of bio-diversity are not yielding the desired benefit due to different kinds of institutional and administrative weaknesses and bottlenecks and lack of general awareness to conserve the biological resources.

Legislation: The existing legislation for the conservation of biodiversity and management of protected areas is inadequate and many laws are not enforceable. Significant changes in the legislation are required to provide a more appropriate framework for conserving and managing protected areas.

Eco-tourism development: Bangladesh does have opportunities for eco- tourism development in die National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries. These are not well developed at present. The potential of the Sundarbans well known but may be over-emphasized. Good potential for more bully based tourism exists at Madhupur Chunati, Himchari and the Hill Tracts and many places of greater Sylhet and Sherpur districts. Development of tourism, local or international, in these areas requires swell-managed network of protected areas.