Open AccessManagement Strategies for Sustainable Forest Biodiversity Conservation in Protected Areas of Bangladesh: A Study of Bhawal National Park, Gazipur
Author(s) -
Md. Alauddin,
Md. Nuralam Hossain,
M. Babul Islam,
Saeed Islam,
Md. Kamrul Islam
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
grassroots journal of natural resources
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2581-6853
DOI - 10.33002/nr2581.6853.03035
Subject(s) - biodiversity , deforestation (computer science) , geography , sustainable management , national park , wildlife , environmental resource management , agroforestry , forest management , habitat , environmental planning , protected area , land use , agriculture , sustainability , forestry , ecology , environmental science , archaeology , computer science , biology , programming language
Bhawal National Park (BNP) is one of the biologically historic and rich habitats in Bangladesh. Therefore, the study aimed to assess the current management strategies of BNP for sustainable biodiversity conservation along with investigations focusing underlying causes of deforestation and biodiversity losses. A structured questionnaire survey, interview, focused group discussions (FGDs), key informant interviews (KII), and literature survey were used as research tools. The results reveal some threats to the sustainable park management, such as its proximity to urban areas, encroachment, abundance of private land within its boundaries, and the pressure of rapid industrialization. It is found that extensive fuelwood collection, industrial setup, agricultural activities, forest fire, forest land encroachment, wood collection are significant causes for deforestation and biodiversity loss. Moreover, number of species of plants and wildlife has decreased roughly by one-third and one-half, respectively. The findings of this study are valuable for sustainable forest biodiversity conservation and management apart from formulating relevant strategies, planning, and policies for the protected areas of Bangladesh.