Bangladesh, Ministry of Environment and Forest

This aim of this report was to show how restoration activities in some degraded and silted wetlands, identified by the community people enhanced fish populations and aquatic habitats, increased agricultural production by ensuring adequate irrigation facilities, facilitated fish migration, and increased the water holding capacity of the wetlands area.

Through this study undertaken in the in the Modhumoti floodplain area, an attempt has been made to learn about the volume of snail harvesting, trends, marketing channels and the overall snail trade cycle. Since the demand for snails is now high, more and more people are becoming involved in its harvesting and it has become difficult to regenerate the resource base, which is already in a critical state. The total snail harvest, though not very large has registered gradual decline.

Problem Census (PCs) and Planning Workshops (PWs) are used to examine the diverse contrasting perspectives of beneficiary groups in regard to their socio-economic and political conditions. On the basis of information generated from these activities, stakeholders become aware of non-uniform impacts of resource use patterns, livelihood strategies and economic activities on the local environment, sustainable resources management schemes and environmental conservation options available to them.

The purpose of the reports is to; a) improve the existing, and develop new income generating opportunities with local communities; b) improve existing, and develop ways to manage (use, protect, enhance) natural resources; c) facilitate, train and strengthen existing institutions; d) promote and undertake new institutional structures that improve sustainable utilization, management and conservation of natural resources.

The loss of plants from floodplain ecosystems have resulted in further degradation of other ecological functions. To stop and reverse this trend, massive plantation programmes were carried out at three floodplain sites: Padma-Jamuna, Brahmaputra-Shitalakshya and Madhumati Floodplain. The overall objective being to increase native tree coverage and enhance productivity by establishing plantations through people’s participation. The report shows how this was accomplished.

Wetlands in Bangladesh are going through a difficult phase caused by exponential degradation and destruction of these ecosystems and dwindling of their valuable resources. Plant resources are more vulnerable due to over-harvesting and unwise exploitation.

This book primarily based on observation made during field trips to different haors and floodplains in the SEMP project areas by plant experts, IUCNB staff and partner NGOs. Experience and ideas of the local communities of these wetlands were also considered while preparing the manuscript. Some of the information has been drawn from existing published and unpublished accounts. This book will provide a guideline for future wetland plant resource conservation and management.

The participatory land-use survey report is a major baseline activity of the Community Base Haor Resource Management Project. The survey was done in Pagnar and Sanuar-Dakuar haors.