Md. Danesh Miah

Forest biomass and bioenergy production and the role of CDM in Bangladesh

The use of forest biomass as a renewable energy source has received much attention as a response to climate change and the increasing global demands for energy. Local availability and conversion into secondary energy carriers with a lower capital investment shows more weights on its interests. The substitution of fossil fuel by biomass fuel can have a strong effect on the mitigation of climate change through reducing greenhouse gases, which can be an important consideration for CDM projects in Bangladesh. This study uses literature review to analyse the legal framework of carbon trading under CDM, CDM additionality, CDM and bioenergy promotion, land availability and technology for biomass production, and sustainability of CDM projects in Bangladesh. The barriers to CDM projects in Bangladesh are explained as well as measures for promoting biomass production. Biomass and bioenergy-based CDM projects can be attractive and support sustainable development in Bangladesh. The study suggests capacity building and policy changes needed in order to comply with CDM modalities. The study can be useful to the climate change mitigation and development policy makers in Bangladesh.

Household adaptations to fuelwood shortage in the old Brahmaputra downstream zone in Bangladesh and implications for homestead forest management

Fuelwood is the principal source of energy, especially in rural households in developing countries like Bangladesh. Due to over-use and unsustainability of fuelwood production, it has become a scarce resource in many poor countries. To understand reasons for household fuelwood scarcity and adaptation techniques, an exploratory survey was carried out in rural households in the downstream zone of the Old Brahmaputra River, Bangladesh, from November 2008 to February 2009. The majority (94%) of households experienced fuelwood scarcity. The high price of fuelwood was the main reason in 49% of households, followed by unsustainability of the fuelwood use (14%), and fragmentation of homestead land (almost 13%). The households experiencing fuelwood scarcity adapted to using other resources such as leaves and twigs, cow dung, rice husks and rice straw and by optimising the duration of fuelwood burning. The study confirms that smaller family size, higher literacy rate, higher total land ownership and higher income of households determine the use of environment-friendly adaptation options. The study gives recommendations for more sustainable homestead forest management, specifically focusing on institutional support and active participation of all stakeholders in the planning process. This will be important for developing future forest and agricultural policy in Bangladesh.

Driving forces for fuelwood choice of households in developing countries: environmental implications for Bangladesh.

Energy planning is an important task for every nation. Understanding the energy preferences of households influences a major part of energy planning and policy. In the preference system, socio-economic driving forces act critically, dictating energy use. Thus, the present study was undertaken to understand the socio-economic driving forces for energy preferences in developing countries, considering the Energy Ladder and the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis. Results show that biomass still plays a vital role in meeting energy demand in many regions of developing countries, and household income is the most common factor in energy preference. However, the macro-economic condition is the primary driving force. With this understanding, the study argues that Bangladesh is still in the first half of the inverted U-shaped EKC for energy use at household level, and also confirms that the Energy Ladder is true at the second stage of the EKC in Bangladesh. Finally, the study suggests that alternative shorter paths in the EKC for energy use should be developed in Bangladesh. The study will be important for energy policy and planning in Bangladesh.

Housing pattern and food habit of theMro-tribe community in Bangladesh: A forest dependence perspective

An exploratory study was conducted on the housing pattern and food habit of theMro tribe in Bandarban region, Bangladesh, highlighting their indigenous knowledge. The study was carried out with respect to three income groups. A total of 36 households (12 from each income groups) were assessed using different participatory appraisals through semi-structured questionnaires. A special type of indigenous knowledge on housing pattern and food habit was explored in theMro community, which correspond to the severe dependence on forest resources.

A new estimate of carbon for Bangladesh forest ecosystems with their spatial distribution and REDD+ implications

In tropical developing countries, reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) is becoming an important mechanism for conserving forests and protecting biodiversity. A key prerequisite for any successful REDD+ project, however, is obtaining baseline estimates of carbon in forest ecosystems. Using available published data, we provide here a new and more reliable estimate of carbon in Bangladesh forest ecosystems, along with their geo-spatial distribution. Our study reveals great variability in carbon density in different forests and higher carbon stock in the mangrove ecosystems, followed by in hill forests and in inland Sal (Shorea robusta) forests in the country. Due to its coverage, degraded nature, and diverse stakeholder engagement, the hill forests of Bangladesh can be used to obtain maximum REDD+ benefits. Further research on carbon and biodiversity in under-represented forest ecosystems using a commonly accepted protocol is essential for the establishment of successful REDD+ projects and for the protection of the country’s degraded forests and for addressing declining levels of biodiversity.

Scaling up REDD+ strategies in Bangladesh: a forest dependence study in the Chittagong Hill Tracts

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and enhancing forest carbon stocks (REDD+) have already been recognized as helping to mitigate global climate change and to conserve forest biodiversity as well as to improve rural livelihoods. Determining the nature and degree of the local peoples’ dependence on the forest can be an important aid to implementation of REDD+ in Bangladesh. The research aims to find out the nature and degree of forest dependence of the local peoples living in the tropical semi-evergreen forests in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh as well as to determine the tradeoffs between forest use and REDD+. The average revenue per household from selling forest products in the study area was 13,473 taka per year including revenues from timber, firewood, bamboo, medicinal plants, mammals and nuts, of which timber sales generated the largest revenue. Looking at the total extraction of forest products, the study found that 92% of the firewood is consumed directly by households, followed by timber 33%, bamboo 33%, medicinal plants 22%, mammals 3% and nuts 2%. At the strategy point of REDD+ implementation in the CHT of Bangladesh, the alternative livelihoods of forest-dependent peoples include culture of plantations, agricultural intensification, and small business development. Dependence on the forest for medicinal, religious and food purposes is fundamental, while extraction of timber, bamboo and vegetables from the forest could be sacrificed. The present study confirms that for REDD+ implementation, appropriate cash compensation should be provided to the forest-dependent people for traditional forest use foregone. This study will be useful to policy makers concerned with REDD+ strategies and natural forest conservation in Bangladesh.

Conservation of a Tropical Wet Semi-evergreen Forest Ecosystem by an Indigenous Community in the Bandarban Hill District of Bangladesh: The Role of Intervention

Indigenous communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh had been conserving small patch of forests, commonly called village common forests (VCFs), especially for drinking water and non-timber forest produce. The size of VCFs has been decreasing, due to increasing population and conversion of forests for shifting cultivation. To restore the degraded forest resources and conserve the forest ecosystems in the VCF of the CHT, an intervention was undertaken in Bandarban, Bangladesh by Arannayk Foundation, an organization established jointly by the Government of Bangladesh and the United States of America. A training program on leadership, organizational development and alternative income generating activities was implemented to build the capacity of the members of the VCF management committee. The impact of the interventions was measured at the end of third year. Incomes of VCF-dependent communities were found to increase with resultant reduction of their dependence on VCFs. The intervention encouraged women’s participation in forest management and facilitated a written format of the constitution of the VCF management. The study identified that more training and awareness-raising activities are needed to ensure sustainability of the interventions. Mobilizing funds for the communities for sustainable alternative livelihoods was found effective. Appropriate compensation for conservation was found to make the restoration and conservation activities sustainable.

THE EFFECT OF RELIGIOUS SUB-CULTURE ON THE STOCK AND DIVERSITY OF THE VILLAGE FORESTS IN THE FLOODPLAIN AREA OF BANGLADESH

ABSTRACT An exploratory study of the traditional village forests of communities embracing two different religions (Muslim and Hindu) in the rural areas of Narsingdi fioodplain area of Bangladesh was carried out over a period of six months from January to June 2002. Cover, species richness and age-class distribution of trees and shrubs in both communities were assessed and compared. The Hindu community had the higher cover at 71% in the homesteads, 78% in temples inside the homesteads, and 68% in temples outside the homesteads. Whereas the Muslim community had 62% cover in the homesteads, 42% in graveyards (Kabarsthans), 66% in the mosque and 53% in educational Madrasha campus. In all respects, Hindu community areas were found to be very rich in tree and shrub species. The present study has found some important factors promoting the conservation of species in rural areas of the fioodplain area of Bangladesh by Hindus in the community, including • obligations to use the different plant parts as offerings to different Goddesses and to the souls of the lately departed persons; • beliefs to protect and conserve indigenous naturally regenerated seedlings; and • beliefs to retain indigenous trees and shrubs in the home and religious compounds. This emphasis on the natural vegetation by the Hindu community contributes to the conservation of the local ecosystem. In contrast, the tree and shrub species present in the Muslim community had little connection with folklore or religion, being mainly grown for the use of their products. These findings may be useful in planning forestry and environmental projects in Bangladesh.

Carbon sequestration by the indigenous tree species in the reforestation program in Bangladesh-Aphanamixis polystachya Wall. and Parker.

Global climate change is the severe environmental concern to the world communities now. Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) adopted by the Kyoto Protocol is the important response to it. CDM assigns the afforestation/reforestation (A/R) activities as the critical to the climate change mitigation. Potentialities of the carbon sequestration of the plantation tree species shows the extents of the A/R, how much it can be put under CDM forestry project. Bangladesh has been experiencing experimental plantation from the last 2–3 decades. The present study focuses on understanding the carbon sequestration potential of an indigenous tree species, Aphanamixis polystachya, in the plantation program of Bangladesh. The study found the average carbon stock in the biomass of trees as 239 t ha-1 having higher in the bottom slope (291.16 t ha-1) followed by middle (266.48 t ha-1) and top (156.66 t ha-1) slope. The result showed the average carbon stock in the soil as 53.96 t ha-1. The findings of the study would be of immense importance to the scientific background of CDM forestry in Bangladesh.

Socio-economic and environmental impacts of casuarina shelterbelt in the Chittagong coast of Bangladesh

The rapid growth of Casuarina equisetifolia, a popular tree species for shelterbelt plantation, attracts the world climate change practitioners for its potential for climate change mitigation and adaptation in the coastal zones. Storage of carbon in the rapidly grown biomass of this species creates special interest in the arena of climate change mitigation practices. To understand the public perceptions of the effect of the casuarina shelterbelt and carbon storage potential in the Bangladesh coast, a socio-biological study was conducted in the Parki beach area, where Casuarina equisetifolia is the major tree species. This study was conducted by a questionnaire survey to find out the observation of coastal people and to assess environmental, economic and social impacts of the casuarina shelterbelt. The study found that the shelterbelt reduced wind speed, increased the size of sand dunes, improved the aesthetic value, increased the protection facilities against cyclones, and enhanced the attractiveness of t...The rapid growth of Casuarina equisetifolia, a popular tree species for shelterbelt plantation, attracts the world climate change practitioners for its potential for climate change mitigation and adaptation in the coastal zones. Storage of carbon in the rapidly grown biomass of this species creates special interest in the arena of climate change mitigation practices. To understand the public perceptions of the effect of the casuarina shelterbelt and carbon storage potential in the Bangladesh coast, a socio-biological study was conducted in the Parki beach area, where Casuarina equisetifolia is the major tree species. This study was conducted by a questionnaire survey to find out the observation of coastal people and to assess environmental, economic and social impacts of the casuarina shelterbelt. The study found that the shelterbelt reduced wind speed, increased the size of sand dunes, improved the aesthetic value, increased the protection facilities against cyclones, and enhanced the attractiveness of the beach for tourism. Although casuarina trees have inhibited the native species as undergrowth, the shelterbelt has increased the supply of fuel-wood for local people. The aboveground biomass density in the shelterbelt was found to be 162.58 ± 4.52 t ha−1 with a mean annual increment of 8.56 ± 0.24 t ha−1 yr−1, while the aboveground carbon density was found to be 73.16 ± 2.04 t ha−1 with a mean annual increment of 3.85 ± 0.11 t ha−1 yr−1. The study is expected to contribute to the field of climate change mitigation and adaptation in Bangladesh.