That the environment is under pressure is not a new story, but a fact that has been witnessed with concern in all parts of the world. What is often forgotten is that humans are deeply dependent on the environment. It supports our very existence. Food, water, and the air that we breathe are services crucial to our survival -- yet the environment continues to be destroyed.
In the face of a changing climate and growing natural hazards, the global community is marking World Environment Day with a renewed sense of urgency. This year’s theme, “Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care,” is timely and as Bangladesh celebrates the day, we must look to both establish strong natural resource management practices and engage people as guardians of the environment.
One example of this can be found in our own Chittagong Hill Tracts where communities draw on traditional knowledge to sustainably manage natural resources through Village Common Forests.
Regrettably, Bangladesh has been experiencing severe deforestation and forest degradation over the past 30 years. A 2011 paper co-authored by Centre for International Forestry cited data suggesting that 90% of Bangladesh’s forest have experienced a level of degradation due to the pressures of a growing population and policy gaps.
This loss of forest has contributed to the extinction and endangerment of many plants and animals unique to Bangladesh, including the symbol of our nation’s pride -- the Bengal Tiger.
Over 200 land mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and plant species have reached an “at-risk status” to varying magnitudes as rated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Indeed, much of the wildlife that makes up the nation’s vibrant biodiversity are being threatened, frequently as a result of human activities.
The loss of such bio-diversity also has wider social consequences, including negative impacts on livelihoods, food security and resilience to environmental disasters. According to the World Bank, crimes affecting the environment and natural resources impose roughly $70 billion a year in damages to developing countries.
Moreover, the Bangladesh Millennium Development Goal Progress Report released last year highlighted the need for further action in this area if we are to meet the goal of ensuring environmental sustainability and target of reaching 20% forest coverage and 70% density by 2015.
Whilst the status of Bangladesh’s forests look bleak, the customary management of 300 Village Common Forests in the Hill Tracts’ exemplifies good practice in managing natural resources and protecting forests.
Village Common Forests, also known as Mouza Forests, are central habitats for wildlife and are crucial to the existence of surrounding communities. They play a key role in maintaining stream flow in small streams, which are often the only source of water to approximately 700 hills communities for drinking, household use, and irrigation.
Village Common Forests are widely recognised as offering a strong and low cost model for protecting forests and natural resources. A 2008 study reported that that communities attached to community manage forests not only utilised more innovative techniques of cultivation -- such as minimum tillage, controlled burning of debris and mulching -- but also have positive impacts on the immediate soil quality and water preservation.
This finding is supported by the work of Nobel Prize winner Elinor Ostrom who demonstrated the value of common resources and the ability for dependent groups to successfully manage these assets.
Such research reinforces the role that communities can and should play in natural resource governance and emphasises the need to broaden this approach to other common resources and sites across the country.
Significant evidence points to the Chittagong Hill Tracts’ Village Common Forests as a sustainable example for engaging local communities to protect the nation’s vital forest resources.
Furthermore, with formal recognition and wider support from government, it is a model that can be replicated and scaled-up, empowering communities to become part of the solution to sustain our country’s forests and other critical environmental resources including wetlands, coastal belts, and marine ecosystems.
In a world of rapid growth and development, forests that historically were preserved for generations are now vanishing at an astounding rate.
It is time that we look to proven traditional practices as a way of countering this modern threat and securing a greener, healthier Bangladesh.
