Analysis of National Forest Programs for REDD+ Implementation in six South and Southeast Asia countries

Aim of study: To facilitate REDD+ implementation and identify relevant attributes for robust REDD+ policies, this study evaluated and synthesized information from national forest programs in South and Southeast Asian countries.Area of study: Data was collected from six countries: Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Philippines, India and Thailand.Methods: The data sources for the evaluation was an in-depth desk review of relevant documents and focus group discussion among experts from each study country.  Main Results: We found out that diverse factors may influence program feasibility and the ability to achieve ‘triple benefits’: the nature of the forest targeted by the policy, the characteristics of the population affected by the policy, attributes of the policy instrument and the different actors involved.Research highlights: We argue that national policies and programs targeted for REDD+ implementation should focus on the identified features to achieve REDD+ goals.Keywords: policy evaluation; policy instruments; triple benefits; Southeast Asia

Tree diversity and management of Village Common Forests in Bandarban

Village Common Forests (VCF) are used sustainably for water source conservation, livelihoods and other biomass needs ofethnic communities in the hilly areas of Bangladesh. The current forest degradation rate warrants the importance and potentiality of VCF for sustainable natural resources management. This study was conducted in two VCF of Lama and RumaUpazila at Chimbuk hill range in Bandarban district to explore the indigenous management techniques and tree species diversity. To identify tree species diversity, eighteen plots (9 plots from each VCF) were selected at different hill position (top, middle and bottom) by stratified random sampling method with the dimension of 20m×20m per plot. Shiner-winner and Simpson index were used to calculate the tree species diversity. According to the analyses, it was found that diversity was higher in top of the hill, but species density (stem/ha) was higher in the valley. It was also found that 23000 seedlings/ha regenerated naturally and among the 31 identified families, Moraceae was dominant where the density was 354 stems/ha with basal area 52.63 m2/ha. The dominant species were Schleicher oleosaand Anisopterascaphula and important non-timber species were Melocannabaccifera and Calamusgurubagrowing abundantly in the study areas. It was observed that the VCF were managed by ethnic Mro community with two different committees (customary and executive) who made some rules for natural forest conservation. This management practice is not only conserving hill forests, but also helping to improve degraded forest and create new habitats for biodiversity in the study area

The sustainable intensification of agroforestry in shifting cultivation areas of Bangladesh

Shifting cultivation is now considered a largely unsustainable type of agroecosystem because of declines in productivity that come with increasing population pressure, shortening of fallow periods and non-availability of alternative land. Efforts to promote the adoption of agroforestry to improve shifting cultivation systems have been increasing. Here, we discuss intensification of agroforestry in shifting cultivation areas of Bangladesh through community participation. Drawing on field data from a collaborative agroforestry research project implemented in Chittagong hill tracts (CHT), it describes the use of agroforestry development, its sustainability, the challenges and opportunities of agroforestry development. We worked with villagers in three para (hamlets) to develop a participatory approach to the development of agroforestry options. On the basis of a combination of participants’ preferences and expert opinion, crop combinations were selected and agri-horti-silvicultural agroforestry systems developed. These participants now cultivate agricultural crops continuously year-on-year on slopes formerly subject to shifting systems. The benefit-cost ratio for agricultural crops was 3:1. Seedlings are growing well and average survival rates at more than 70 %. More than 80 % participants are now interested in agroforestry, and 54 % desire to expand agroforestry to other areas. For the future development and promotion of agroforestry by tribal communities in the CHT, conclusions are drawn about modes of collaborative working with local partners