People’s Perceptions about the Socio-Economic and Environmental Impact of Coastal Green Belt in Bangladesh

Tanmoy Dey; Md. Golam Morshed Rajib; Md. Akramul Islam

doi:10.47540/ijsei.v2i2.280

Authors

Tanmoy Dey Bangladesh Forest Research Institution, Bangladesh
Md. Golam Morshed Rajib Forestry and Wood Technology Discipline, Khulna University, Bangladesh
Md. Akramul Islam Bangladesh Forest Research Institution, Bangladesh

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47540/ijsei.v2i2.280

Keywords:

Afforestation, Coastal Area, Green Belt, Plantation

Abstract

Understanding the perceptions and attitudes of local people towards afforestation is crucial for successful afforestation. To better understand the people's perceptions about the coastal green belt, we surveyed the Satkhira and Bhola districts during January 2021. A questionnaire survey of 200 respondents was conducted by a purposive and random sampling technique to obtain quantitative data. On the other hand, two Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were performed to obtain qualitative data based on the diversity of age, sex, education, and occupation variables. We used to evaluate the respondent’s perceptions about the coastal green belt by 5-point Likert scale data. The majority portion of the people in our study area was poor and their profession was fisherman and housewife among males and women respectively. The majority of them agreed that the green belt helped them in numerous ways, to rear their cattle and built a house near the green belt, by promoting the growth of crops, and further protect them from different natural calamities by reducing wind velocity. Shelterbelts greatly enhance tourism in that area, improved communication facilities, and increase their socio-economic condition and values. Shelterbelt has long-term benefits, peoples have positive attitudes towards shelterbelt and they seek training to maintain this shelterbelt smoothly. Respondents wanted fruit tree species as shelterbelt species near the embankment. This information can be used for policy formulation in terms of successful plantation by considering people’s attitudes, which may work in both mitigation and adaptation of climate change in the coastal remote areas of Bangladesh.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Ahmad, H. (2019). Bangladesh Coastal Zone Management Status and Future. J Coast Zone Manag, 22:1.

Angelsen, A., Larsen, H.O., Lund, J.F., Smith-Hall, C., &Wunder, S. (eds.) (2011). Measuring Livelihoods and Environmental Dependence: Methods for Research and Fieldwork. Earthscan, UK.

Bai, J. (2010). The role of casuarina in environmental amelioration in China. In: Zhong C, Pinyopuarerk K, Kalinganire A, Franche C, editors. Improving smallholder livelihoods through casuarina productivity. Haikou: China Forestry Publishing House.

Brandle, J.R., Hodges, I., & Wight, B. (2000). Windbreak practices. Madison: American Society of Agronomy, Inc.

De Zoysa, M. (2008). Casuarina coastal forest shelterbelt in Hambantota City, Sri Lanka: Assessment of impacts. Small-scale Forestry 7(1):17–27.

Dey, T., Ahmed, S., Bachar, B. K., & Kamruzzaman, M. (2020 a). Prospects of community-based ecotourism in Sundarbans: a case study at Munshiganj, Satkhira, Bangladesh. International Journal of Forestry, Ecology and Environment, 02(01), 60-68.

Dey, T., Kamruzzaman, M., Islam, M. A., Bachar, B. K., & Pitol, M. N. S. (2020 b). Attitudes of local people towards community based eco-tourism in the Sundarbans. International Journal of Business, Management and Social Research, 09(02), 528-535.

District Statistics, Satkhira District. (2011). (Published in December, 2013) Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), Statistics and Informatics Division (Sid) Ministry of Planning, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Parishankhan Bhaban, E-27/A, Agargaon, Dhaka-1207.www.bbs.gov.bd. p. 3.

District Statistics, Bhola District. (2011). (Published in December, 2013) Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), Statistics and Informatics Division (Sid) Ministry of Planning, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Parishankhan Bhaban, E-27/A, Agargaon, Dhaka-1207.www.bbs.gov.bd. p. 3.

Fritz, H.M., & Blount, C. (2007). Role of forests and trees in protecting coastal areas against cyclones. In: Braats S, Fortuna S, Broadhead J, Leslie R, editors. Regional Technical Workshop. Coastal protection in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunamis: what role for forests and trees? RAP Publication 2007/07. Bangkok (Thailand): Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations; p. 37–64.

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).(1989). Arid zone forestry: a guide for field technicians. Rome: Publication Division, Food and Agricultural Organizations of the United Nations.

Hanjie, W., & Hao, Z. (2003). A simulation study on the ecoenvironmental effects of 3N shelterbelt in north China. Global Planet Change. 37(3–4):231–246

Hipsey, M., Sivapalan, M., & Clement, T. (2004). A numerical and field investigation of surface heat fluxes from small windsheltered water bodies in semi-arid Western Australia. Environ Fluid Mech. 4(1):79–106.

Hossain, M.A., Miah, M.G., & Bhowmik, S.K. (2008). Socio-Economic and Environmental Impact of Coastal Greenbelt Project of Bangladesh. Eco-friendly Agril.J. 1(1):53-59.

Hossain, M. L., Hossain, M. K., & Das, S. R. (2010). Vulnerability of Bangladesh to Natural and Anthropogenic Disasters. Vision Publication, Dhaka, Bangladesh.pp. 219.

Latief, H., & Hadi, S. (2007). The role of forests and trees in protecting coastal areas against tsunamis. In: Braats S, Fortuna S, Broadhead J, Leslie R, editors. Regional Technical Workshop. Coastal protection in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunamis: what role for forests and trees? RAP Publication 2007/07. Bangkok (Thailand): Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations; p. 5–35.

McMichael, A.J. (2000). Bull World Health Organ 78(9): 1117-1126.

Miah, M. D., Siddik, M. A., & Shin, M. Y. (2013). Socio-economic and environmental impacts of casuarina shelterbelt in the Chittagong coast of Bangladesh. Forest Science and Technology, 9(3).

Mohammed, A., Stigter, C., & Adam, H. (1996). On shelterbelt design for combating sand invasion. AgrEcosyst Environ. 57(2-3):81–90.

Nurunnahar, Pitol, M. N. S., & Sharmin, A. (2020). Status and Prospects of Agroforestry at Kaligonj Upazila in Satkhira District. European Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences, 2(6).

Rahman, S., & Rahman, M. A. (2015). Climate extremes and challenges to infrastructure development in coastal cities in Bangladesh. Weather and Climate Extremes, 7: 96-108.

Ramesh, M.R., & Nijagunappa, R. (2014). Development of urban green belts – a super future for ecological balance, Gulbarga city, Karnataka. International Letters of Natural Sciences. ISSN: 2300-9675, Vol. 27, pp 47-53.

Iftekhar, M.S. (2006). Conservation and management of the Bangladesh coastal ecosystem: Overview of an integrated approach. Natural Resources Forum. 30(3): 230-237.

IPCC. (2007). IPCC Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007. Geneva: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Islam, A., Sharmin, A., Biswas, R., Dey, T., & Bachar, B. K. (2020). Utilization of Minor Forest Products of the Sundarbans in Bangladesh. Adv in Agri, Horti and Ento: AAHE-126.

Islam, S. A., & Rahman, M. M. (2015). Coastal afforestation in Bangladesh to combat climate change induced hazards. Journal of Science, Technology & Environment Informatics, 02(01), 13–25.

Islam, M. S., Abubakar, H., & Islam, M. M. (2011). Community Based Ecotourism in the Sundarbans of Bangladesh. Rajagiri Journal of Social Development, 3(2), 31-50.

Islam, M. R. (2008). ICZM initiatives and practices in Bangladesh. In: Krishnamurthy, R.R. (ed). Integrated Coastal Zone Management. Research Publishing Services, Singapore. pp 81-82.

Islam, M. R. (ed) (2004). Where Land Meets the Sea: A Profile of the Coastal Zone of Bangladesh. University Press Limited, Dhaka, Bangladesh. pp. 317.

MoEF. (2008). Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan 2008. Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.pp. xvi, 68.

Saha, S. K., Ahmed, M. F., Roy, T. K., & Haldar, P. K. (2015). Community based ecotourism in income generation: a study on the sundarbans adjacent area of Bangladesh. International Journal of Business, Management and Social Research, 02(01), 80-91.

Tanaka, N., Sasaki, Y., Mowjood, M., Jinadasa, K., &Homchuen, S. (2007). Coastal vegetation structures and their functions in tsunami protection: experience of the recent Indian Ocean tsunami. Landscape Ecol Eng. 3(1): 33–45.

Thomas, M.B., Wratten, S.D., & Nick, S. (1991). Creation of island habitats densities predator arthropods: of beneficial populations and species composition. J App Ecol. 29(2):524–531.

Tripp, R. (1993). Adoption of Agricultural Technology: A Guide for Survey Design. CIMMYT. Mexico.

Torrey, J.G. (1976). Initiation and development of root nodules of casuarina (casuarinaceae). Am J Bot. 63(3):335–344.

Wolanski, E. (2007). Synthesis of the protective functions of coastal forests and trees against natural hazards. In: Braats S, Fortuna S, Broadhead J, Leslie R, editors. Regional Technical Workshop. Coastal protection in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunamis: what role for forests and trees? RAP Publication 2007/07. Bangkok (Thailand): Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations; p. 161–184.