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Tree and Shrub Species Preferences and Planting Materials Used by Sub-religious Communities in the Village Groves of Floodplain Area of Bangladesh

Md. Danesh Miah
Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, University of Chittagong, Chittagong 4331, Bangladesh

Mohammad Moshiur Rahman
Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, University of Chittagong, Chittagong 4331, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

An exploratory study of the traditional homestead forest of two different religious groups (Hindu and Muslim) in one selected floodplain area of Bangladesh was conducted over a period of six months from January to June 2002. The species' (both tree and shrub) preferences, similarities, use and sources of planting materials, spacing and location of species in the homesteads of both Hindu and Muslim communities were studied. It was found that Mangifera indica as tree species and Ocimum sanctum as shrub species were the best preferred species of the Hindu community. Artocarpus heterophy/lus as tree species and Lawsonia inermis as shrub species were found best preferred by the Muslim community. Flodstic similarities between the two groups were found 86.57% in tree species and 78.48% in shrub species. Both seed and seedlings of tree and shrub species as planting materials were used by the highest percentage of both the religious communities. For tree species, homegarden was reported to be the highest source (39%) and for shrub species, nature was the highest source (40%), which was found in the Hindu community.

Keywords: Species preferences; Species similarity; Planting materials; Hindu; Muslim; Homestead forests; Floodplain area; Bangladesh.

Location: Meghna, the Shitalakhya and the Brahmaputra flow over Narsingdi district

Start Date: 00-01-2002

End Date: 00-06-2002

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Commodity: Tree, Plant

Objectives:

The study was undertaken to explore the religious factors on homestead forests particularly of Muslim and Hindu community in Narsingdi region, Banglades

Methodology:

Sampling Framework: A multistage simple random sampling technique was adopted to locate representative households for the study. Sampling was done at four levels of Narsingdi District; district, Upazila(sub-district), village and households (respondent). The survey was carried out over a periods of five months from January to June, 2002. Reconnaissance survey Before the study, a reconnaissance survey was made in three Upazilas. The objectives of this survey were to select the study areas, identify respondents and rapport building with the local leaders and the people of the study areas. Selection of the study area and respondents Administratively Bangladesh consists of 64 districts, 490 Upazilas, 4451 unions and 68000 villages (BBS 1997). A large number of Muslim people (92.13%) as well as Hindu people (13.45%) are living in Narsingdi district (BBS 1995). As three prominent rivers of Bangladesh, the Meghna, the Shitalakhya and the Brahmaputra flow over Narsingdi district, it was selected purposively. The district comprises six Upazilas, of which three Upazilas namely Narsingdi sadar, Raipura and Palash were selected as secondary sampling unit and every two villages from each Upazila were selected as tertiary sampling unit. From a total of six villages, data were collected both from the Muslim and the Hindu communities. For each community a total of 36 households were surveyed taking every six from each village. In such a way, another 36 households were sampled for the Muslim community. Thus a total of 72 households were sampled for the whole study. The sampled respondents consisted of the male or female household heads along with other household members. Woman members and the comparatively old-aged members in particular were interviewed because of their involvement was important in practicing the traditional homestead forestry activities and having the knowledge about the folk and myths. Vegetation survey procedure A systematic vegetation survey was conducted at each selected homestead compounds and campus of the religious institutions to ascertain the tree and shrub species composition and their structures. The head of the family and the local old aged persons were requested to show and tell the local names in-situ and other particulars of the species present in the homesteads and in the sacred places. In the homesteads and at the campus of the religious institutions, a full direct enumeration process was adopted. After the vegetation survey, a list of the tree and shrub species present in the homesteads and sacred places was made with the basic reference of Prain (1981). To ascertain the floristic composition, the plants were first categorized into trees and shrubs. Due to the common presence of the bamboo species in the homesteads, bamboo was included in the vegetation survey as a different vegetation component. Species composition was also shown in terms of natural and plantation; indigenous and exotic growing stock with age-class distribution. The age of the tree and shrub was ascertained through the cross discussion of the family members and the neighboring old-aged people. The mode of natural and plantation growing stock was identified in the same way. The age class distribution of the growing stock in the sacred places was excluded from the study because of the difficulties of age identification. Species richness was calculated as the number of the total species present. To find out the green coverage in the selected sites, areas of the crown of both trees and shrub was measured. The closed crowns of both tree and shrub were measured as intermingled vegetation cover. Other crowns were measured as individual/scattered green coverage. Similarity of species: To find out the similarity of species in the homesteads of different religious groups, Similarity index (SI) values were calculated using the formula: SI = (2c/a+b) "100 (Muller-Dombis and Ellenberg 1974) Where a = Number of species present in community A b= Number of species present in community B c= Number of species Common to both communities. The value derived is called the "Sqruensen's index of similarity" according to Muller-Dombis and Ellenberg (1974) and it expressed the actually measure coinciding species occurrence against the theoretically possible one. To find out the similarity index of species between two religious groups, each religion was considered a single unit and the species that were recorded from both the religions were regarded as the common species to assess the index between the religions. It is to be noted that in calculating the species similarity, each religion was considered as a single unit and thus the species recorded from all categories of a religion was considered as the total number species for that religion.

Source of Information: Journal of Forestry Research, 15(1): 55-60 (2004)

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

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Achievement/Findings:

Species preference, sources of planting materials and similarity of the species clearly indicate a distinction of sub-cultural effects on tree and shrub species in Narsingdi floodplain area of Bangladesh. The species preference shows that whatever the species has cultural/religious use, it is preferred firstly for pIanting or nurturing. Than the other economic uses in the preference criteria come out. Various cultural implications with many tree and shrub species of Hindu community indicate a positive impact on the conservation of the village groves. Nature as the highest source of planting materials of shrub species by the Hindu community also implies native species conservation efforts. This study clearly depicts a cultural positive impact of Hindu community on the village groves than that of Muslim, though there are some common phenomena between the two religious groups. The findings of this study have some policy implications for the forest conservationists and biodiversity consultants. This traditional knowledge may be used as tool for the village grove conservation. To understand clearly the framework of sub-religious effects on the village grove, more socio-religious research should be carried out on more different components of the biodiversity of the village groves.

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