Analysis and interpretation of forest fire data of Sikkim

Forest ecosystems are depleting and heading towards degradation which would adversely affect the world's socio-economic harmony. Various disasters disturb the cordial relationship of the flora and fauna and impose imbalance in the ecology as a whole; forest fire is one of its kind. India has witnessed a 125% rise in forest fire occurrences between the years 2015 and 2017. This paper presents a study of various factors and the analysis of forest fire in Sikkim. The period of 10 years, forest fire incidences, i.e., from the year 2004 to the year 2014 have been considered for the study. The forest fire data was collected from Forest and Environment Department, Government of Sikkim, and preliminary processing was performed to check for anomalies. The study observed that there has been an increased forest fire incidence over the years and highest being in the year 2009. These fire incidences have damaged a total area of 5,047.16 ha of land damaging various flora and fauna. It was observed that the maximum forest fire cases are below an altitude of 1500m, during winter months (December to February extending to March) and in sub-tropical Sal (Shorea robusta) forest. West district of Sikkim recorded the highest number of forest fire incidences and area covered followed by south and east districts; the north district was least affected. As per the visual interpretation of forest fire incidence data and literature review, the main factors responsible for forest fire in Sikkim are low rainfall, dry winter season, and type of vegetation. Also, a linear regression was performed between weather factors like average temperature (°C), relative humidity (%), and wind velocity (Km/h) on incidences of forest fire between the year 2009-2014 (n=389). It was found that the average temperature (r=0.37, Slope=9.59 and SD= ±12.00) and relative humidity (r=-0.6, Slope=-4.52, and SD=±2.68) plays a moderate linear relationship in influencing the incidences of forest fires. However, wind velocity showed almost a flat curve indicating its minimal role in influencing forest fire incidences. Parameter modelling and preparation of forest fire risk zone map would be an effective tool in preventing and managing forest fire in Sikkim

Agroforestry at work

"Why do many farmers still resist adopting and scaling agroforestry? Are the economic benefits not enough, or not perceived to be enough? Or are there other reasons? These are the questions that were asked when work began on Tropical Forest Issues 62. This issue contextualizes agroforestry in four introductory articles in terms of economic viability and resilience, gender inclusiveness, interactions with climate change and biodiversity and barriers to adoption. We then present 26 case studies from Africa, Asia, and Latin America that show the clear and tangible benefits from the adoption of agroforestry. These 26 examples of agroforestry at work, from a range of developing countries, all show that agroforestry provides direct and indirect benefits to farming families and the wider economy. The well-documented case studies show that agroforestry “works” — it contributes to improved livelihoods (including direct cash income), subsistence activities, employment and other community benefits. In highlighting the reasons for its success in a range of contexts, we hope to demonstrate that agroforestry can spread, encouraging other farmers to develop and expand more diversified, productive and resilient farming systems. Depending on the local context and individual traditions and perceptions, different farmers will have a preference for different agroforestry practices. This shows the importance of developing locally owned agroforestry production systems in order to achieve the full range of benefits. The articles in this issue describe a wide range of agroforestry practices from an array of environments and socioeconomic conditions

Mapping Ecotourism Potential in Bangladesh: The Integration of an Analytical Hierarchy Algorithm and Geospatial Data

The significance of ecotourism has been increasing due to its potential for biodiversity preservation, economic advancement, and the promotion of sustainability awareness. In this research, geospatial analysis and the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was employed to identify feasible ecotourism sites in Bangladesh. The study applied Geographical Information System–Remote Sensing (GIS-RS) parameters and weighted overlay techniques for selected ecotourism characteristics, such as natural attractiveness, topographic features, accessibility, proximity to facilities, and community characteristics. The study found that a significant proportion (around 44%) of Bangladesh’s land exhibits high potential for ecotourism. Cox’s Bazar, Chittagong, and Rangamati are particularly favorable ecotourism locations. However, some difficulties emerge in regions that are not easily reachable, such as mangrove forests, and in densely inhabited localities like Dhaka. The research also identified the ecological costs linked with ecotourism, such as the exhaustion of resources, the fragmentation of habitats, contamination, and the disruption of wildlife. The primary recommendations to address the adverse effects include educating the local populace, enforcing regulatory measures, implementing efficient waste management systems, enforcing a stringent code of conduct, providing economic incentives to the local communities, and addressing the issue of food security. The cartographically delineated potential zones have the potential to function as a navigational instrument for global travelers and facilitate the decision-making process of policymakers in the realm of sustainable land resource management in Bangladesh. This study enhances the understanding of the potential of ecotourism and offers valuable insights for advancing responsible and sustainable tourism practices within the nation

Political ecology of environmental crises in Bangladesh

Abstract: Bangladesh suffers from a range of crises affecting its human and non-human environments. The issues are widely discussed, with corrective policies proposed and implemented, but the results so far have not been satisfactory. The main reasons for this failure of governance can be traced to the fact that environmental problems are examined mainly on the basis of neo-malthusian, neo-colonial and apolitical modes, and they are rarely contextualised in a wider framework. The present thesis is something of a new departure. It assesses three different types of environmental crises in Bangladesh, namely (i) shrimp farming and its consequential impacts on local environment and society in the south-western and south-eastern parts of Bangladesh, (іі) the impacts of deforestation and afforestation issues on women in the Modhupur forest located in the central parts of the country, and (ііі) degradation of food safety and quality issues in Bangladesh. The theoretical frameworks of political ecology and feminist political ecology are deployed in assessing these problems. The research is mainly based on secondary data collected in the UK and Bangladesh. Limited field data were also collected through group discussions with the women of Modhupur about the impact of deforestation and afforestation and informal interviews with government and NGO officials on the food quality degradation issues. I was able to collect literature on shrimp cultivation and on deforestation issues from Bangladesh but struggled with data collection on the food quality crisis. Academic research on food quality issues are almost absent although plenty of articles have been published in the news and print media. The results suggest that the problems are not simple but rather the outcome of a number of multifaceted factors which are deeply rooted in the economic, social, political and cultural settings of Bangladesh. Attempts for capital accumulation and profit maximization by different actors are found to be the major factors behind the environmental breakdown in all the case studies. It is revealed that the issues examined in this study have had profound impacts on the natural environment and also on the vulnerable sections of society, especially women. The three crises are narrated, the actions of different actors are identified, contextual driving forces for the individual case studies are explored and the local to global links of the issues are established

Quarterly literature review of the remote sensing of natural resources

The Technology Application Center reviewed abstracted literature sources, and selected document data and data gathering techniques which were performed or obtained remotely from space, aircraft or groundbased stations. All of the documentation was related to remote sensing sensors or the remote sensing of the natural resources. Sensors were primarily those operating within the 10 to the minus 8 power to 1 meter wavelength band. Included are NASA Tech Briefs, ARAC Industrial Applications Reports, U.S. Navy Technical Reports, U.S. Patent reports, and other technical articles and reports

Wildlife Population Monitoring

Wildlife management is about finding the balance between conservation of endangered species and mitigating the impacts of overabundant wildlife on humans and the environment. This book deals with the monitoring of fauna, related diseases, and interactions with humans. It is intended to assist and support the professional worker in wildlife management

Sustainable management of the Sundarbans: stakeholder attitudes towards sustainable mangrove policy and management

The world’s largest contiguous mangrove forest, the Sundarbans, is not only rich in biodiversity but also provides ecological, economic and cultural services to people surrounding the forest. The Sundarbans is one of the oldest systematically managed mangroves in the world, providing numerous benefits and services to local communities and the environment. The natural resources of the forest remain under threat from population pressure, over exploitation, natural disasters and lack of practical policy regimes. This study attempts to assess attitudes of stakeholders towards sustainable management and conservation of mangrove forests as a means to assist planners, policy-makers, and decision-makers. Improving attitudes of local stakeholders towards conservation of natural resources is one of the strategies for sustainable forest management. A mixed method approach was conducted to fulfill the objectives of this study. The study reveals that the people of Sundarbans Impact Zone (SIZ) are closely associated with the Sundarbans and are highly dependent on it for their livelihood. Collecting resources from both aquatic and terrestrial areas within the Sundarbans has been considered a traditional right for people within the SIZ. As such, people are increasingly becoming more conscious about government policy and associated laws and regulations. Most of the villagers participate in government and NGO’s sponsored programs and they want the forest to be managed in a sustainable way. Generally, the language of government policy is very strong, but implementation of policy is difficult because of competing policies, weak infrastructure, inefficiencies, illegal approaches and corruption. Recognition of property rights along with education and more sustainable approaches to management is required.Good governance and favorable policies along with financial, administrative, and institutional support are needed to ensure the resilience and ecological integrity of the Sundarbans. Moreover, increased collaboration and sharing of information between government and stakeholders would facilitate planning, management, and ultimately, wise decision making. Finally, efforts should be made to develop and advance coupled human–environment (socio-ecological) systems that call for more participatory approaches to management and thus permit stronger voices from the local community. Wider participation and ‘empowerment’ of stakeholders would improve governance of the Sundarbans and ensure common priorities and levels of agreement on both conservation and livelihood issues