People's participation in forest conservation and livelihoods improvement: experience from a forestry project in Bangladesh

Figures & data

Figure 1. Changes of Sal forest cover over time in Madhupur.

Figure 2. Forest map of Bangladesh showing Madhupur Sal Forests (MSF).

Figure 3. The portfolio of the project.

Table 1. Incentives (money) provided by the FD to the forest-dependent people

Money in Taka (73 Taka = 1 US$)	Purpose for incentives
1000.00	Planting of 200 seedlings
1000.00	Vegetable cultivation
5000.00	Buying cattle (e.g. goat)
3000.00	Improvements of house infrastructure
1000.00	Preparation of compost
Free	One eco-friendly burner (Chula) for each family
Total = 11,000.00 Taka
Source: FD (2012).

Figure 4. Major benefits that participant expects to get from the project.

Figure 5. Trends of forest offences at Madhupur Sal forests over time.

Table 2. Different elements and their observations for capacity building of the participants

Elements of capacity building	Observations
1. Knowledge building: the capacity to enhance skills, generate and implement new ideas	Participants generated new ideas in which they started alternative livelihood programs using their acquired knowledge and skills. Each of the participants helped others to fill the knowledge gap.
2. Leadership: the capacity to represent the interests of all participants in such a way that has team working together to achieve the sustainable vision of the community. Establishes trust and has the capacity to build a team	Be aware of forest law and acts. Participants can speak and report to forest staff about their needs and problems. Participants have suggested others not to do illegal logging. Already one participant was elected as a formal leader in his community.
3. Network building: the capacity to form partnerships and alliances for the benefit of the community	Maintained regular contact with FD, local govt. and other communities. Participants communicated and shared new ideas, technologies, etc. with each others.
4. Collective action: the capacity of the participants to work together to achieve their own objectives and goals	Initiated homogenous group to start alternative livelihood options. Worked together with a group to guard Sal forests. Shared common output with other participants.
5. Access to information: the capacity to collect, access, and utilize quality information	Formed CFW welfare organizations. Went to agricultural office to prevent crop pests and diseases. Criticize the limitations of RMF projects and even the illegal activities of local elites.

Table 3. Five important training programs and assessment of the participants' performance

Name of training	Main objectives	Participant able to explain properly (%)	Overall skill improvements
Nursery management	Establish nursery for growing seedling in every household level and earn money	86	Very good
Poultry	Establish small poultry farm and increase nutritional status	73	Satisfactory
Cow/bull fattening	Adopt new techniques for quick income	81	Good
Vegetable production	Meet their own consumption and earn additional income	98	Very good
Fisheries	Able to manage water bodies as an income generation process and meet own consumption	84	Good

Figure 6. Past and present social relationship between the participants and other people of the society.

Table 4. Re-vegetation scheme of Madhupur Sal forests area

Year	Species	Area (ha)	Number	Name of Species
1st	Native timber, fuelwood, and fruit species	150	375,000	Sal (Shorea robusta), Garjan (Dipterocarpus turbinatus)
	Native fodder species	10	16,000	Gamar (Gmelina arborea), Dhakijam (Syzygium grande)
2nd	Native timber, fruit and fuelwood species	600	1,500,000	Black Berry (Syzygium cumini), Chickrosi (Chukrassia tabularis)
3rd	Native timber, fuelwood, and fruit species	250	625,000	Bohera (Terminalia belerica), Star Apple (Syzygium samarengense)
	Native fodder species	10	16,000	Mahogani (Swietenia macrophylla), Neem (Azadirachta indica)
1st and 2nd	Local fruit, timber, and fuelwood species to every rehabilitee family	Homestead	1,100,000	Kadom (Neolamarckia cadamba), Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus)
Source: FD (2012).

Alam , M. 2009 . Evolution of forest policies in Bangladesh: a critical analysis . Int J Soc Forestry , 2 ( 2 ) : 149 – 166 .

 Google Scholar

[FD] Forest Department. 2012. Land and forest area of Bangladesh [Internet]. Bangladesh Forest Department; http://www.bforest.gov.bd/act.php (http://www.bforest.gov.bd/act.php) (Accessed: 20 January 2012 ).

 Google Scholar