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The Role of Traditional Forest Practices in Enhanced Conservation and Improved Livelihoods of Indigenous Communities: Case Study from Lawachara National Park, Bangladesh

Sharif Ahmed Mukul
Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, School of Agriculture and Mineral Sciences, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet 3114, Bangladesh.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Traditional forest uses / practices: A list of traditional forest utilization practices reported by the members of four ethnic communities. It appears that Tripura people used the forest most frequently (19 forest practice), followed by Khasia (15 forest practices), Garo (15 forest practices) and Monipuri (10 forest practices) people. Ten of the forest practices were found legally authorized (permitted), sometimes to a specific forest community, six were limitedly practiced and overlooked (!) by the FD up to a certain extent, and the remaining four practices were strictly prohibited (illegal) by the FD. It seems that due to a legal access right in the forest Khasia people follow the forest rules more appropriately than the others. On the other hand, forests are comparatively lesser significant to the life and culture of Monipuri people thereby they were found lastly involved with the identified forest practices.

Forest in supporting community livelihoods and generating incomes Study revealed that forest plays a vital role in the livelihoods and culture of Khasia, Tripura, and Garo people by providing their basic subsistence needs and income. A variety of wild forest species (both flora and fauna) were found exploited and consumed by the respondents. For example local people named a total of 22 fruit species and 11 vegetable species harvested locally for their own consumption. Most of the respondents mentioned forest as a source of safety net through selling forest products during the vulnerable period. The cumulative values of different forest practices (per annum) across the communities were estimated as US$ 550, US$ 472, US$ 362 and US$ 296 respectively for Khasia, Tripura, Garo and Manipuri people. A considerable difference however observed in the share of different forest practices (both legal and illegal) in this amount. For example betel vine cultivation was the most income generating forest practice of Khasia people, whereas Tripura, Garo and Manipuri peoples earned majority of their income from lemon + pineapple cultivation, fuelwood + timber extraction and fuelwood extraction.

Keywords: TRADITIONAL FOREST PRACTICES, CONSERVATION, IMPROVED LIVELIHOODS, INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES

Location: Lawachara National Park located in the north-eastern part of Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Non-commodity: Livelihood

Objectives:

The present paper aims to describe such traditional forest practices observed in a north-eastern low hill forest region of the country, with their importance and possible conservation implications.

Methodology:

The study was conducted in Lawachara National Park located in the north-eastern part of Bangladesh. Currently, the park covers an area of 1,250 ha, and there is a plan to extend the park area in another additional 281 ha of the adjoining West Bhanugach Reserve Forest. LNP, being situated in a high rainfall area with mixed tropical evergreen forests, is a mega biodiversity spot in the country with many endangered fauna and flora. An estimated 167 species of higher plants, 26 mammalian species (including five non-human primates), 246 bird species, 4 amphibians and 6 reptiles have so far been recorded from the park area (NSP, 2006). A total of 26 villages and tribal settlements have varied degrees of stakes with the national park as well as with the adjoining reserved forest (Mollah and Kundu, 2004). Most of the settlers/villagers are financially poor and rely largely on forests to sustain their livelihoods.

For the study, I interviewed a total of 40 ethnic households during June 2007 to February 2008-10 from each of the communities (i.e. Khasia, Tripura, Garo, Monipuri), adopting a quota sampling approach. This represented approximately a sampling intensity of 40%, 14%, 17% and 15% respectively for Khasia, Tripura, Garo and Monipuri settlers. While selecting a household priority was given on the household’s had greater stakes on nearby forests. A semistructured questionnaire was used to gather the required information’s. A friendly discussion in households’ preferred time was arranged for each of the household’s in the presence of a local interpreter (communicator). Valuation of identified forest practices was made in terms of current market price adjusted with investment cost (e.g. labor and tools) and/or opportunity costs (where applicable).

Source of Information: Proceeding: The 1st International Conference on Forest Related Traditional Knowledge and Culture in Asia, October 05~10, 2008, Korea Forest Research Institute, Seoul, Korea

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

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Achievement/Findings:

For a large proportion of indigenous peoples forests are still a paramount way of sustainable livelihoods. In LNP some of their traditional forest practices like betel vine based Khasia agroforestry demonstrated an efficient way of forest biodiversity restoration together with livelihood support through cash generation. This traditional forest practice for instance could be a useful ingredient of adaptive forest management in LNP as well as in other forest areas where ethnic communities have a broad interest on forests for their livelihoods and income. Another important issue—due to lack of proper market infrastructure indigenous communities in most times not able to obtain the real value of their products. An efficient market chain to sell value added products is therefore recommended. A community awareness program on conservation, sustainable use, and harvesting of forest biodiversity could be also useful for shaping the traditional forest practices into an environmentally sound way of community livelihood.

Knowledge Management: Report/Proceedings