2 Impact Of Mangrove Forests On The Economy And Individual Households As Help With History Assignment

Impact of mangrove forests on the economy and individual households as a result of climate change

Research proposal

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Impact of mangrove forests on the economy and individual households as a result of climate change

Mangrove habitats are among the most diverse and dynamic ecosystem in the world (Hogarth 2007). Mangrove forests, which occupy 15.2 million hectares in the tropical and subtropical zones (FAO, 2007), protect coastal areas from tidal surges, coastal erosion, and hurricanes. Mangrove forests are in dire danger all around the world, with 23% of their original area devastated in just the last two decades (Giri et al., 2011). Agriculture, aquaculture, and logging, among other human activities in or near the forest, constitute a constant threat to the remaining woodlands. The Sundarbans, which include the world’s largest contiguous mangrove forest, are no exception. These coastal woods play a distinctive economic role. The Sundarbans’ ecosystem services are critical to the region’s well-being. Strong cyclones and tsunamis are kept at bay by the forest, which protects coastal and interior settlements.

It provides income to more than 300,000 individuals (Deb, 2001). Bawali (wood collectors), mawali (honey collectors), chunari (snail and crab collectors), kathkurani (drywood collectors), jele (fishermen), and sutar (snail and crab collectors) are among these groups (boat manufacturers). Those with lower and moderate incomes earned 74 percent and 48 percent of their total income from Forest income, respectively, compared to those with higher incomes (Abdullah, et al., 2016 p15). Forest resources provided more income to higher-income households, but when forest income is added to household income, measured inequality is reduced by 27%, indicating that forests provide a more egalitarian source of income than most other sources at the study sites expand the wealth gap between those who live on the forest’s edge and those who do not. The income from the mangrove forest is compared to money from other sources, and income is described across different socioeconomic income categories in this study.

People in Bangladesh are growing increasingly interested in environmental adaptability and green development. “Building with Nature” is touted as a breakthrough Ecosystem Engineering technique that should be one of the primary tools in Bangladesh’s 7th Five-Year Plan (2015-16 to 2019-20) ocean and coastal management plan (Hossain et al, 2014). Live organisms and ecosystems can help protect Bangladeshi coastal areas from erosion and flooding while also offering a variety of ecological services and goods to local populations. There is need to study policy instruments, analyze cost of the plan, and determine impact of mangrove forests on economy and household as a result in change in climate.

Background

Bangladesh’s coastline, which is located on the Bay of Bengal, makes about 32 percent of the country’s total surface area. This vast region is home to more than 37 million people who rely on it for their everyday needs. Mangrove forests (such as the Sundarbans) and tidal wetlands are among the most important coastal habitats (fisheries, agriculture, etc.). The Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers’ tidal delta plains are active, diverse, and vivacious by nature (Brammer 2014). The Himalayas provide freshwater and sediments, making the Bay of Bengal an ideal location for land reclamation due to its proximity to rivers and mountains.

However, channelization and mangrove loss have dramatically altered coastal water flow and sediment deposition processes, resulting in increased land subsidence, riverbank erosion, and saltwater intrusion (e.g. Auerbach et al. 2015, Brammer 2014). In the long run, a tectonic plate tilt has reduced the amount of fresh water reaching the delta, increasing the risk of salt intrusion. Due to growing water demand upstream and a forecast decrease in water flow from the Himalayans, traditional arable farming in the southern Delta is on the wane. Flooding, coastal erosion, and salt water intrusion are all threats to Bangladesh’s coastal areas, which could be worsened by climate change. As sea levels rise quicker, tropical cyclones will have a greater impact (Woodruff et al. 2013). Tropical cyclones are growing more often, and as a result, the coast is becoming more prone to flooding. Some of these effects can be mitigated via adaptive techniques, but the difficulty is not just to safeguard Bangladesh’s low-lying coastal areas from storm floods and sea-level rise, but also to do so in a cost-effective manner ” (Ysebaert, et al, 2017).

Importance of Research

The purpose of this research is to see how reliant the people who live near the Sundarbans Reserve Forest are on the mangrove ecosystem for their survival. It also shows how efficient the framework of common property rights is at protecting mangroves. The goals of FDCs’ livelihood security are examined and promoted in this essay. Mangrove forests, like other natural ecosystems, contribute significantly to low-income families’ income, although little is known about their involvement in the local economy. The worth of mangrove resources to local Bangladeshi communities should be assessed, according to this study, in order to better understand the role, they play in their local economy, particularly in poverty reduction.

Problem analysis

According to the Ministry of Environment and Forests, forests cover 17% of Bangladesh’s total land area. However, this percentage has been questioned and estimated to be only 7.7%. (Alam, 2009). Half of Bangladesh’s forest cover has been lost in the last 30 years (MOEF, 2008). According to an alarming assessment, tree cover has decreased by half in the last 20 years. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, 35 percent of the world’s mangrove forests have been lost at a rate of 2.1 percent each year since 2001. (Valiela et al. 2001). Anthropogenic and natural factors are the primary sources of this decline. A 0.66 percent yearly rate of global forest loss, by comparison, is just 3e5 times as high (Spalding et al., 2010). Mangrove conversion for shrimp farming has resulted in up to 80% loss in several Asian countries.

The forest sector in Bangladesh is predicted to provide 5% of GDP and 2% of jobs to the country’s economy (MOEF, 2005). The contribution to GDP is only 1.7 percent, and the employment contribution is close to nothing, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Property rights are well-known in developing countries when it comes to forest management (Roy, et al, 2013 p141). If fishing communities have adequate property rights, they are more likely to assist in forest conservation activities. Property rights are important in encouraging community engagement in forest conservation activities, notably in the areas of health and sanitation, as well as the requirement for money lenders to fund fishing ventures. Fishermen in two villages, for example, have developed ways to diversify their revenue sources and encourage alternate income-generating activities in order to lessen their dependency on fishing and local money lenders (Akon, 2013). This type of diversification, however, is frequently prohibited.

Research Questions

Is the local populace passionate about mangrove preservation?

What do you think about woods in general?

Reduced access to forest resources would have a substantial negative impact on the livelihoods of rural poor people, diminishing forest income?

In question three, FDCs’ perspectives on their potential involvement in mangrove conservation approaches and management are examined.

Is increasing the amount of money earned from forest products a viable way to alleviate poverty and minimize economic disparities?

What is the impact of climate change on mangrove forests?

Theoretical framework

The Schlager and Ostrom theoretical framework was utilized to investigate local forest-dependent people’s favorable conservation attitudes, as well as the impact of socioeconomic and demographic variables on these attitudes (Abdullah, et al, 2016 p15). They were more likely to engage in alternative livelihood activities that had a direct influence on their economic well-being when illegal forest resource access was outlawed. Because of a lack of economic alternatives, residents living near forests have resorted to unlawfully accessing them. The existing state property rights framework, according to 60% of those polled, infringes on their harvesting rights. People asked said they wished to get involved in conservation initiatives as landowners (57 percent). If policymakers implement Schlager and Ostrom’s concept of de facto and de jure ownerships and management adjustments, people who rely on forests and mangrove ecosystems like the Sundarbans may be able to develop sustainable livelihoods.

By 2050, the world’s population will have increased to 9 billion people, who will require more food, energy, minerals, and space, all of which will necessitate a greater use of ocean and coastal resources and the space they give (inevitably and dramatically). As a result, innovative and sustainable techniques and procedures, as well as creative thinking, are necessary. Fisheries, maritime transportation, environmental preservation and biodiversity, seafood safety, and coastal security are all important issues.

Literature review

An overview of mangrove plantations in Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s coast is prone to natural calamities such as cyclones, river erosion, salinization, and flooding due to its funnel-shaped geomorphology, low-lying elevation, chain of flattened offshore islands, high population density, and poor socioeconomic level (WARPO 2006). Since the 1960s, structural measures have been in place to reduce the coastal population’s vulnerability to natural disasters (Islam 2004). Polders (embankments) and cyclone shelters have been developed to reduce the damage that tropical storms and storm surges can cause. Although, after recognizing the Sundarbans’ protective effect, the government initiated a coastal afforestation effort in 1966 in order to boost coastal protection.

Four Coastal Afforestation Divisions were in charge of the project. During this time, an average of 320 hectares of plantations were grown per year. In 1976, the Coastal Afforestation Divisions were handed freshly acquired lands totaling 497,976 hectares for a 10-year term in acknowledgment of the considerable time span required for plantation establishment. After concluding that the plantation program was a success, the Forest Department decided to extend its authority of the region for another 20 years in 1986. At the time, the main purpose was to reduce the devastation caused by tropical storms and storm surges. Additional goals, such as lumber production, wildlife protection, and aquatic habitat building, as well as establishing economic opportunities for coastal towns and the preservation of newly acquired properties, were not included until a few years later. To attain these distinct objectives, several different strategies have been proposed. The initial focus of the plantation was on a few essential species. Everything that is valuable will be worth money a little later. Only two species of mangrove were tested, and both did exceptionally well.

These two types of plantations account for about 85 percent of the plantations, which cover an area of 800 square kilometers (Blasco et al. 2001). Because mangroves are pioneer species in mangrove succession, they can survive in newly accreted sites with regular inundation (Das and Siddiqi 1985). Due to the unpredictable nature of the Bangladesh coastline, which demands numerous planting cycles lasting up to three years, plantation establishment is time-consuming and labor-intensive.

Analysis of the economics and utility of mangroves

The link between mangroves and offshore fisheries has to be confirmed, and the mangrove system’s assessment needs to be refined. Fisheries in mangroves yield significantly more valuable harvests than forestry products. Following the pioneering work of a theoretical framework for such valuation has been devised, but practical testing has not yet been completed, more CBA studies utilizing the ecosystem technique are needed (Primavera, 1997 p815). Fisheries yields are connected to mangrove (and other intertidal) ecosystems through trophic subsidy and nursery ground utilization. However, it does not appear that the exported debris has a good impact on offshore production.

Mangroves may have a role in offshore prawn catches as nurseries, providing food and/or protecting the shrimp caught from predators. New mangrove valuations are required, as well as an enhanced economic study of shrimp production from aquaculture ponds. ‘ Externalities such as social and environmental costs should be reflected into the final product’s price in shrimp aquaculture, just as they should be in salmon farming.

The effects of climate change on mangrove forests

Climate change has been observed over comparable historical times. Climate change threatens the mangrove ecosystem and the creatures that rely on it. Zone of bioclimatic variation: Bangladesh (62%) and India (42%) make up the Sundarbans mangrove ecoregion (38 percent ) In the Sundarbans, one of the world’s largest protected regions, the Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris L) is the dominant predator. As a result, by controlling the volume and distribution of prey, it has an impact on forest structure, composition, and regeneration. The migration of animals may have a negative influence as climate change alters the ecosystem’s flora and fauna. Tiger-human conflicts arise when tigers leave their normal habitats and come into contact with humans and their livestock. Because habitat loss and changes in wildlife behavior are major factors in tiger-human conflict, the study’s main purpose is to determine how climate change affects salinity intrusion, biodiversity, and floral and faunal composition. Secondary data was cited and changed as needed after a thorough study of relevant literature on a number of websites.

The livelihoods and living styles of people living near the Sundarbans in Bangladesh were surveyed to see if there was a link between tiger attacks and their way of life. We used ArcGIS 9.3 to visualize the tiger habitat and find the underlying causes of human-tiger interactions. Climate change has had a profound impact on the species mix of the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest, resulting in an increase in tiger-human confrontations. Alternative Income Generation (AIG), a social and cultural revolution for sustainable alternative livelihoods for forest-dependent populations, a change in the formal legal system, institutional development, and in-depth research can all help to address these issues and ensure the Sundarbans mangrove forests’ long-term viability (Rahim, et al, 2015).

Governance in Bangladesh’s mangrove ecosystem

They state that co-management has been adopted in the Sundarbans of Bangladesh since 2008 for biodiversity protection and improved livelihoods (Mollick et al 2021, p1). However, research on how co-managed mangrove protected areas maintained and exercised efficient governance is lacking (PA). A case study was used to investigate stakeholders’ perspectives of good governance in PA co-management in Bangladesh’s Sundarbans. Within a “good governance framework” based on six governance principles, we employed both qualitative (11 key informant interviews and 4 focus group talks) and quantitative methods (135 structured interviews) to collect data (stakeholder participation, transparency, responsiveness, legitimacy, fairness, and organizational capacity). Chi-square tests, medians, frequencies (percentages), and contingency tables were used to analyze quantitative data. 30–35 percent of respondents gave neutral responses to stakeholder participation, transparency, responsiveness, legitimacy, fairness, and organizational competency. This suggests that the Sundarbans’ PA co-management has a low level of governance. The new policy framework has a far bigger implementation gap between its stated goals and the actual execution of PA governance on the ground, according to our analysis. The findings of this study can help policymakers, development organizations, and PA managers in Bangladesh and elsewhere create and implement successful PA co-management policies.

Methodology

Design of the study

Secondary quantitative research. In this research method, we will use the already existing data also known as secondary data. This existing data is then summarized and arranged to increase the overall efficacy of the research.

A data-gathering device’s design

Common secondary research methods include data collection through the internet, libraries, archives, schools and organizational reports. Online data is data that is gathered via the internet.

Study Area

The study will study secondary sources from settlements which will be located in Bagerhat District’s Mongla Sub-district. It is bordered on the south by the Bay of Bengal and on the north by the Sundarbans. Villages are chosen for inclusion in this study based on their closeness to the Sundarbans forest.

Choosing a sample size

Recent secondary sources are selected because it is up to date and accurate.

Analyze the information

There must be an in-depth examination of all sources used in academic research. The following criteria should be met when looking for secondary sources: Clearly checking the author, his/ her experience, reputable academic publisher produced it. What is the author’s or the study’s purpose What kind of bibliography does the book/article have, Do you know where the author gets his or her information, research any prior knowledge of the author’s supplementary materials, In order to verify the author’s sources, is it possible to look through their bibliography.

Proposed schedule

This study duration will be six months start from May, 2022 and end by October, 2022 which includes tools preparation, data collection, data management, analysis and report writing.

Activity

Mar 26

June 26

July 30

August 30

September 30

October30

Proposal writing

Ethics forms approval

Data analysis and thesis writting

Thesis

Reference

Abdullah, A.N.M., Stacey, N., Garnett, S.T. and Myers, B., 2016. Economic dependence on mangrove forest resources for livelihoods in the Sundarbans, Bangladesh. Forest Policy and Economics, 64, pp.15-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2015.12.009

Iftekhar, M.S. and Takama, T., 2008. Perceptions of biodiversity, environmental services, and conservation of planted mangroves: a case study on Nijhum Dwip Island, Bangladesh. Wetlands Ecology and Management, 16(2), pp.119-137. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11273-007-9060-8

Mollick, A.S., Roy, M., Khan, N.I., Islam, W., Sadath, N. and Nath, T.K., 2021. Assessing good governance in protected areas (PA) Co-management: a case study of the Sundarbans Mangrove Forests of Bangladesh. Journal of Sustainable Forestry, pp.1-25. https://doi.org/10.1080/10549811.2021.1923531

Primavera, J.H., 1997. Socio‐economic impacts of shrimp culture. Aquaculture research, 28(10), pp.815-827.https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2109.1997.00946.x

Rahim, S.A., HAQUE, M.Z., REZA, M.I.H., ELFITHRI, R., MOKHTAR, M.B. and ABDULLAH, M., 2015. Behavioral change due to climate change effects accelerate tiger human conflicts: a study on sundarbans mangrove forests, Bangladesh. International Journal of Conservation Science, 6(4).

Roy, A.K.D., Alam, K. and Gow, J., 2013. Community perceptions of state forest ownership and management: A case study of the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest in Bangladesh. Journal of environmental management, 117, pp.141-149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2012.12.004

Ysebaert, T., Jansen, H.M. and Poelman, M., 2017. Coastal protection and seafood security in Bangladesh: Food for thought.