Rain Water Harvesting for Sustainable Biodiversity Conservation at Lawachara National Park in Bangladesh: A Study on Policy Challenges

An assessment on the rain water management policy at a protected area for conserving biodiversity was undertaken. The study focuses on the current status of biodiversity with respect to ecological changes and community environmental awareness at the Lawachara National Park (LNP) in Moulvibazar district of Bangladesh. The contemporaneous era of modernization and globalization indicates a lot of comfort and luxurious life where lead to an alarming situation of huge environmental degradation integrated with all the apprehensive activities. Now a days the entire sectors in the world economy is facing massive challenges to deal with the global warming, climate change, environmental problems, loss of biodiversity and its consequences present one of the most important threats to the protected areas. Due to all these reasons, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) have started modifying its activities and strategies through Aichi Targets to ensure protection to our natural resources and environment, particularly biodiversity conservation at protected areas. Everyone exploits them but none can conserve profoundly due to lack of scientifically effective policies, tools and methods in national park areas. The study explores the present uniqueness of inland water management, land use, environmental and forest policy towards Lawachara National Park for Biodiversity Conservation according to Aichi Target 11 of the CBD. The study examined the exclusivity of the tools to enhance conservation through existing approaches, technology, literature reviews, observations, reconnaissance findings and undertook interviews with park managers, Team Leader of Co-management Committee, Indigenous Community Leader, Academics, Biodiversity Specialists, Water Management Officer, Botanists, Zoologists, Researchers, Environmental Lawyers, land user, Learners, Policy-Maker, Local Government Leaders, NGOs and effective key stakeholders. All data were sorted and analysed using SPSS software for development of priorities Logic Model. About 55% of the respondents agreed that rain water should be harvested at LNP during rainy season as for importance of biodiversity information. The study showed that 42% and 55% of the respondents respectively stated that it is essential and very essential for the authority to undertake the necessary action to fulfill the Aichi Target of CBD at the existing protected area management. During winter and summer season water scarcity tends to highly ecosystem services at LNP. This scarcity assessment will support policy and decision-makers in assessing options to modify existing policies which will develop initial long-term strategic plans for rain water harvesting and implement effective policies for sustainable biodiversity conservation. The study also highlights on the steps, initiatives, benefits and future of rain water harvesting technology in Bangladesh context. Moreover, the study regarded the need for protection of biodiversity at LNP while reducing the water scarcity, removing illegal hunting and loss of biodiversity issues during dry and winter seasons. Overall, the research revealed that terrestrial water harvesting at protected areas requires policy improvement for sustainable conservation. However, policy makers and relevant bodies need to be trained on biodiversity and water to make them more effective. Finally, the study suggests future research trajectories using a new collaborative approach to drive methodological agenda and recommends ways to further incorporate the need of upcoming generation on water management policy at protected areas in stimulating environmental sustainability

Quantifying recreational value and the functional relationship between travel cost and visiting national park

Abstract Estimation of recreational benefits is an important tool for both biodiversity conservation and ecotourism development in national parks and sanctuaries. The design of this work is to estimate the recreational value and to establish functional relationship between travel cost and visitation of Lawachara National Park (LNP) in Bangladesh. This study employed zonal approach of the travel cost method. The work is grounded on a sample of 422 visitors of the LNP. Results showed that the total value of environmental assets of the LNP is 55,694,173 Taka/Year. Moreover, our suggestion based on visitors' willingness to pay is that the park entrance fee of 25 Tk per person should be introduced that could generate revenue approximate 2.3 million Taka/ year, beneficial for the park management and conservation of biodiversity

A new estimate of carbon for Bangladesh forest ecosystems with their spatial distribution and REDD+ implications

In tropical developing countries, reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) is becoming an important mechanism for conserving forests and protecting biodiversity. A key prerequisite for any successful REDD+ project, however, is obtaining baseline estimates of carbon in forest ecosystems. Using available published data, we provide here a new and more reliable estimate of carbon in Bangladesh forest ecosystems, along with their geo-spatial distribution. Our study reveals great variability in carbon density in different forests and higher carbon stock in the mangrove ecosystems, followed by in hill forests and in inland Sal (Shorea robusta) forests in the country. Due to its coverage, degraded nature, and diverse stakeholder engagement, the hill forests of Bangladesh can be used to obtain maximum REDD+ benefits. Further research on carbon and biodiversity in under-represented forest ecosystems using a commonly accepted protocol is essential for the establishment of successful REDD+ projects and for the protection of the country’s degraded forests and for addressing declining levels of biodiversity

Quantifying Recreational Value and the Functional Relationship Between Travel Cost and Visiting National Park

Abstract Estimation of recreational benefits is an important tool for both biodiversity conservation and ecotourism development in national parks and sanctuaries. The design of this work is to estimate the recreational value and to establish functional relationship between travel cost and visitation of Lawachara National Park (LNP) in Bangladesh. This study employed zonal approach of the travel cost method. The work is grounded on a sample of 422 visitors of the LNP. Results showed that the total value of environmental assets of the LNP is 55,694,173 Taka/Year. Moreover, our suggestion based on visitors' willingness to pay is that the park entrance fee of 25 Tk per person should be introduced that could generate revenue approximate 2.3 million Taka/ year, beneficial for the park management and conservation of biodiversity

Impact of Sensor Networks on Aquatic Biodiversity in Wetland: An Innovative Approach

Aquatic biodiversity is in the central field of environmental conservation issues in a wetland. Yet it determinately faced aquatic conservation authorities the loss of biodiversity as a very important global issue for several years due to misuse wireless sensor technology. The study attempts to re-look at the sensor networks that affect the aquatic biodiversity within and around the Tanguar Haor- wetland study at Sunamganj district in Bangladesh. Key aquatic conservation tools provided at the Tanguar Haor and its challenges with gaps in policies for wetland management practices are highlighted. The study shows the aquatic biodiversity-related rules and regulations amended were apex in Bangladesh from 2010 to 2018. The study represents the impact of processed sensor networks on aquatic biodiversity in a wetland to be compared to larger, medium, and smaller animals in a bright, dark and optimum environment, facilitating the design and misuse of wireless sensor networks within GPS locations. Approximately 64% of the respondents agreed on the development of aquatic biodiversity for managing the wetland at Sunamganj with secure peripheral sensor networks. The research also found that the Tanguar Haor is at risk due to misuse of wireless sensor networks compared to other wetlands in the Sylhet Division. Scientific knowledge is indispensable in wetland resource management but it poorly identified such knowledge while various performances are still below par. The research is unique and represents the innovative idea to improve the existing wetland policy linking with the appropriateness for the Ramsar Wetland Conservation Strateg

Intellectual capital disclosures and corporate governance:an empirical examination

Empirical examinations of the links between corporate governance and intellectual capital are underresearched, particularly from the context of emerging economies where corporate governance mechanisms tend to be largely ceremonial due to family dominance. This study aims to address this gap in the intellectual capital disclosure (ICD) literature by undertaking an empirical examination of the relationship between corporate governance and the extent of ICD of Bangladeshi companies. Inter alia, the key findings of this study suggest that there is a non-linear relationship between family ownership and the extent of ICD. This research also found that foreign ownership, board independence, and the presence of audit committees are positively associated with the extent of ICD. Conversely, family duality (i.e., where the positions of CEO and chairperson are occupied by two individuals from the same family) is negatively associated with the extent of ICD

Integrating livelihoods and conservation in protected areas: Understanding the role and stakeholder views on prospects for non-timber forest products, a Bangladesh case study

Protected areas (PAs) represent a key global strategy in biodiversity conservation. In tropical developing countries, the management of PAs is a great challenge as many contain resources on which local communities rely. Collection and trading of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) is a well-established forest-based livelihood strategy, which has been promoted as a potential means for enhanced conservation and improved rural livelihoods in recent years, even though the sustainability or ecological implications have rarely been tested. We conducted an exploratory survey to understand the role and stakeholder views on conservation prospects and perceived ecological feasibility of NTFPs and harvesting schemes in a northeastern PA of Bangladesh, namely the Satchari National Park. Households (n = 101) were interviewed from three different forest dependency categories, adopting a stratified random sampling approach and using a semi-structured questionnaire. The study identified 13 locally important NTFPs, with five being critically important to supporting local livelihoods. Our study suggests that collection, processing and trading in NTFPs constitutes the primary occupation for about 18% of local inhabitants and account for an estimated 19% of their cash annual income. The household consensus on issues relating to NTFPs and their prospective role in conservation was surprisingly high, with 48% of respondents believing that promotion of NTFPs in the PA could have positive conservation value. The majority (71%) of households also had some understanding of the ecological implications of NTFP harvesting, sustainability (53%) and possible management and monitoring regimes (100%). With little known about their real application in the field, our study suggests further investigations are required to understand the ecological compatibility of traditional NTFP harvesting patterns and management. © 2010 Taylor & Francis

Causes and incidence of community-acquired serious infections among young children in south Asia (ANISA): an observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: More than 500 000 neonatal deaths per year result from possible serious bacterial infections (pSBIs), but the causes are largely unknown. We investigated the incidence of community-acquired infections caused by specific organisms among neonates in south Asia. METHODS: From 2011 to 2014, we identified babies through population-based pregnancy surveillance at five sites in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. Babies were visited at home by community health workers up to ten times from age 0 to 59 days. Illness meeting the WHO definition of pSBI and randomly selected healthy babies were referred to study physicians. The primary objective was to estimate proportions of specific infectious causes by blood culture and Custom TaqMan Array Cards molecular assay (Thermo Fisher, Bartlesville, OK, USA) of blood and respiratory samples. FINDINGS: 6022 pSBI episodes were identified among 63 114 babies (95·4 per 1000 livebirths). Causes were attributed in 28% of episodes (16% bacterial and 12% viral). Mean incidence of bacterial infections was 13·2 (95% credible interval [CrI] 11·2-15·6) per 1000 livebirths and of viral infections was 10·1 (9·4-11·6) per 1000 livebirths. The leading pathogen was respiratory syncytial virus (5·4, 95% CrI 4·8-6·3 episodes per 1000 livebirths), followed by Ureaplasma spp (2·4, 1·6-3·2 episodes per 1000 livebirths). Among babies who died, causes were attributed to 46% of pSBI episodes, among which 92% were bacterial. 85 (83%) of 102 blood culture isolates were susceptible to penicillin, ampicillin, gentamicin, or a combination of these drugs. INTERPRETATION: Non-attribution of a cause in a high proportion of patients suggests that a substantial proportion of pSBI episodes might not have been due to infection. The predominance of bacterial causes among babies who died, however, indicates that appropriate prevention measures and management could substantially affect neonatal mortality. Susceptibility of bacterial isolates to first-line antibiotics emphasises the need for prudent and limited use of newer-generation antibiotics. Furthermore, the predominance of atypical bacteria we found and high incidence of respiratory syncytial virus indicated that changes in management strategies for treatment and prevention are needed. Given the burden of disease, prevention of respiratory syncytial virus would have a notable effect on the overall health system and achievement of Sustainable Development Goal. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation