Climate Change Impact:
Lesson Learn From Madhupur Initiative
Ashit Ranjan Paul
Bangladesh Forest Department
Forest Types
• Tropical Wet-evergreen
• Tropical Semi- evergreen
• Tropical moist- deciduous
• Freshwater wetland
• Mangroves
Tropical moist deciduous forests
Growing Stock: 1.13 m3 (million)
Central and northern districts covering
0.12 million ha.
0.81% of total land and 7.8% of forest
land.
Sal (Shorea robusta) dominant species
and associates are: Koroi (Albizia
procera), Terminalia spp, Sonalu (Cassia
fistula) etc.
History of Madhupur Forest
•
Madhupur Garh is 80.0 km North east form Dhaka
comprises area of 63,001.89 acres. located in Tangail District.
•It is a historical (2200 yrs.old) tropical moist deciduous forest
with rich in huge bio-diversity.
•
Emperor of Natore bought these forest in accordance with
sun set law of British regime. These forest were vested to forest
Department for scientific management in1950.
•
In 1988 after 38 Years, 45,565.18 acres of Madhupur
forests, handed over to Tangail Forest division for Management
purposes.
1967
1973
1989
1999
2003
2007
1967
1973
1999
2003
1989
2007
Scenario of Madhupur, 2010
 No. of villages within the Madhupur forests: 57
 People residing in and around the Forests: 40,000 (Approx.)
40% are indigenous /local people and rest are climate refugees
 Consumption of Fuel Wood= 40 Tons/day (For cooking only)
 No. of brick field surrounding Modhupur forest = 100 (Approx.)
 Consumption of fuel wood (in brick field= 32 lacs cft (if 30%
fuel wood is used with 70% coal)
 Trees felled for making FW= 6,40,000 Nos/year (Approx.)
 Forest Depleted=1,000 acres/year (Approx.)
As a result forests are Intermingled with neighboring settlements
and fragmented into smaller patches.
Causes of depletion or destruction of forest
Dependency of local people on
the Forest.
 Scarcity of alternative fuel.
 Scarcity of alternative housing
materials.
 Use of Fuel wood in Brick field.
 Land dispute.
 Encroachment of Forest land
for alternative use.
 Non-assistance/co-operation of
political and influential persons.
 Impractical policy adoption
by the Forest Department.
Causes of depletion or destruction of forest
Dependency of inhabitants on
the Forest.
Scarcity of alternative fuel &
housing materials.
 Use of Fuel wood in Brick field.
 Land dispute.
 Encroachment of Forest land
for alternative use.
 Non-assistance/co-operation of
political and influential persons.
 Impractical policy adoption
by the Forest Department.
Causes of depletion or destruction of forest
Dependency of local people on
the Forest.
 Scarcity of alternative fuel.
 Scarcity of alternative housing
materials.
 Use of Fuel wood in Brick field.
 Land dispute.
 Encroachment of Forest land
for alternative use.
 Non-assistance/co-operation of
political and influential persons.
 Impractical policy adoption
by the Forest Department.
Causes of depletion or destruction of forest
Dependency of local people on
the Forest.
 Scarcity of alternative fuel.
 Scarcity of alternative housing
materials.
 Use of Fuel wood in Brick field.
 Land dispute.
 Encroachment of Forest land
for alternative use.
 Non-assistance/co-operation of
political and influential persons.
 Impractical policy adoption
by the Forest Department.
Causes of depletion or destruction of forest
Dependency of local people on
the Forest.
 Scarcity of alternative fuel.
 Scarcity of alternative housing
materials.
 Use of Fuel wood in Brick field.
 Land dispute.
 Encroachment of Forest land
for alternative use.
 Non-assistance/co-operation of
political and influential persons.
 Impractical policy adoption
by the Forest Department.
Issues not Considered in the past
Management
The real causes of destruction have not been rightly diagnosed &
addressed before.
Only those who felled trees in the forest have been blamed for
forest destruction.
Huge forest cases have been filled in the court against them.
Why these vulnerable group enter into the forest and destroy
forest have not been identified.
Almost no effort has been given to lessen the forest dependency.
The traditional approach of forest management fail to address the
problems. Consequently, illegal felling and encroachment were
regular picture of Madhupur Forest.
Fresh Initiatives:
In considerations of the above issues Forest
Department has taken fresh initiatives to save the
Madhupur Forests in March, 2010. A project
named “Revegetation of Madhupur Forest
Through Rehabilitation of Forest Dependant
Local and Ethnic Communities” has been
launched.
Components of the Project :
 Training and motivation of the fully forest dependent
local people for the Protection of the Existing Forests.
 Revegetation of depleted forest land.
Upliftment of Socio-Economic condition (Rehab.)
of the forest dependent families.
Training and Motivation:
Range
No of the villages No of trainees
Jatiya Uddyan
22
294
Dokhla
11
200
Aronkhola
09
104
Modhupur
15
102
Total
57
700
A Training and Motivational Programme of two months duration have been
conducted. 700 forest dependent local people were trained up in different
income generating courses. During the training period each participant got
4,500/- taka per month as training allowance. The trainees have also been
given full set of uniform, identity card and other training materials.
Training courses
 Nursery raising & Forest Mgt.
 Mushroom cultivation
 Poultry, Dairy.
 Apiculture
 Pisiculture
 Vegetable gardening.
 Compost preparation
 Jam, Jelly, Juice preparation.
Trainers
* Expert in concerned
subjects.
* Public Representative.
* Political leaders.
* Journalists
* Govt. officials.
 Motivation to change attitude.
* NGO Representative.
 Forest fire protection.
* Academicians.
H.E. James F.Moriarty speaking on exchange of view session at Dokhola, Modhupur.
Achievement of Training and Motivation:
After completion the training courses the trainees have been
working as Community Forest Worker (CFW) and they are
motivated and committed to protect Madhupur Forest.
They Vowed that they will not fell any trees from Madhupur
Forest illegally.
Due to their activities, illegal felling has been stopped.
As a result the forest floor is being rejuvenated with numerous
species, bearing a good sign of biodiversity.
By this time a positive attitude regarding conservation of
Madhupur Forests already been created among all corner of local
people.
Decrease in number of Forest Offence
Year
Madhupur
Range
Jatiya Uddayn
Sadar Range
Dokhola
Range
Aronkhola
Range
Total
2001-2002
13
108
17
32
17 0
2002-2003
43
73
23
18
157
2003-2004
35
145
25
11
216
2004-2005
11
61
1
4
77
2005-2006
32
31
11
16
90
2006-2007
53
66
2
7
128
2007-2008
47
85
29
6
167
2008-2009
82
238
26
30
376
2009-2010
81
227
35
18
361
2010-2011
11
5
3
4
23
2011-2014
0
0
0
0
0
Re-vegetation
1530 hac. of forest land which has
been encroached for long period have
brought
under
Re-vegetation
programme through the participatory
management.
Plantation raised and land Recovered(Upto 2011-12)
Range
Beat
Mouza
Planted
area (hac)
Species.
Jatiya Uddayan
sadar
Sadar
Aronkhola
126.00
,,
Gachabari
Gachabari
53.0
,,
Rajabari
Rajabari
136.0
Mehagoni,Arjun,
Sal, Gamar, Teak,
Gorjon,Koroi,
Chikrashi,
Neem,Jam, etc.
"
Baribaid
Baribaid
254.00
"
Lohoria
Aronkhola
61.00
Fruits Species Pltn.
Dokhla
Sadar
Aronkhola,
Pirgacha.
85.00
Mehagoni,Arjun,
Sal, Gamar, Teak,
Gorjon,Koroi,
Chikrashi,
Neem,Jam, etc.
"
Chadpur
Fulbagchala
235.00
-do-
Modhupur
Charaljani
Chonoia,Baribaid
202.00
-do-
"
Mohish-mara
Chunia, Mohishmara,
bathbari,Haldia
348.00
-do-
Total
1500.00
+30.00
Different types of
fruit spps. For
animal & birds.
12 Feb 2010
12 Feb 2010
June 2010
June 2010
July 2010
Aug 2010
April 2011
Oct 2011
Apr 2012
June 2012
Apr 2012
9 Feb 2013
9 Feb 2013
23 May 2013
23 May 2013
Rehabilitation
5,000 families of 57 forest villages have been rehabilitated.
Components and grants/Family.
Components
Grants
Development of environment
friendly homestead
3,000 BDT
Vegetables Cultivation
1,000 BDT
Cattle rearing
5,000 BDT
Fuel wood, fruit and timber yielding
200 nos. of seedling planting.
1,000 BDT
Bio-fertilizer plant
1,000 BDT
Total=
11,000 BDT
* Each family have been provided with Improved
stove/chula (Fuel wood saving).
* Whole amount have been paid through Bank Cheque.
►Following numbers of Man days have been created
by the different activities under the project :
Activities
Quantity
Nos. of Man days
New plantation
1530 ha.
2,26,440
Maintenance of
plantation
1530 ha.
91,800
Seedling raising
for plantation
38,25,000 nos.
76,500
Seedling raising
for distribution
10,00,000 nos.
20,000
Fire protection
2 years
24,000
Total
-
4,38,740
For reducing the dependency on forests,
taka 10,000/ as grant have been allotted to
each CFW in group basis for their
alternative income generating activities. As
a result all CFW have shifted themselves
in alternative profession e.g. Pisciculture,
Seedling raising; Cow fattening; Cattle
rearing; Small grocery shop; Turmeric,
Chilies grinding and packaging etc.
On the Other hand Forest
Conservation Co-operative
Society have been formed. Now
every CFW is the member of the
society which are registered by
the LGRD Ministry.
Result Framework
TRAINING & MOTIVATION COMPONENT:
700 Fully forest dependent person trained
Restoration of Biodiversity & Improvement of Wildlife Habitat as a
result of change in attitude and commitment to protect forest
Decrease forest offences and filing cases as result of change in
behavior/attitude and vowed that no more trees will be illegally
cut
Reduction of Forest Fire by the regular surveillance of the CFW
Decrease dependency by creating AIGA through training
REVEGETATION COMPONENT: 4,82 million
seedlings of different species have been planted.
Increase forest coverage
Increase Carbon Sequestration
Addition of Oxygen and pollution control
Prevention of Soil erosion and addition of nutrients to the
soil
Decrease in temperature
REHABILITATION COMPONENT: 5000 bare houses converted to eco-friendly
homestead by planting 1.0 million seedlings, providing 5000 improved
Chula, providing grant for kitchen garden, compost plant, cattle rearing etc.
Alternative livelihood development created for 5000 families
Reduction in fuel wood consumption
Restoration of Biodiversity
Reduction in chemical fertilizer uses
Rehabilitation of backward and blamed distressed people
those previously involved in illicit felling by changing their
behavior/attitude and involving them for protecting the forest
and by giving them alternative income generating activities.
Thus they become to feel honor and getting rewarded as
electing the member of local government.
News Articles of Media
Dhaka Mirror
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Plunderers now protectors
March 19, 2011
Stealing of Modhupur forest resources marks significant fall because of positive steps by the authorities
The number of cases filed for stealing resources in Madhupur forest sees a significant fall during the last
several months as once forest resource plunderers are now serving as community forest workers, helping
protection and development of the traditional sal forest. The dramatic change appeared as forest department
in June-July last year provided 400 people two months’ training under a project styled ‘Re-vegetation of
Madhupur Forest through Rehabilitation of Local and Ethnic Communities’.As many as 368 and 354
cases were filed in 2008 and 2009 for stealing resources in Modhupur forests, said sources of forest
department in Tangail. But only 20 such cases were filed last year while the number of cases filed in first two
and a half months this year is three, they said.Since the independence, around 18000 cases have been filed
for stealing of Madhupur forest resources and around 3000 of them are under trial at present.Once spread
over 45,000 acres of land, Madhupur forest has now shrunk to only 8,000 acres, forest department sources
said.To save the traditional forest from gradual extinction, forest department last year made a list of 500 tree
plunderers and provided 400 of them two months’ training under the government-run programme aimed at
lessening their dependence on the forests.The participants received trainings on apiculture, mushroom
cultivation, nursery, afforestation, fire fighting, poultry, cow fattening, fish farming, vegetable gardening, grass
growing, compost fertiliser production, cultivation of medicinal plants, production of jam and jelly
etc.Alongside getting the opportunity of self-employment, the 400 people are serving as community forest
workers, participating in forest development activities and assisting the forest guards to protect the forest
resources.
Honorable Prime Minister Award 2012
Thank You