Location and history

The Sundarban Reserved Forest (SRF), occupying an area of around 6,017 square kilometres or 600,000 hectares, represents 51 percent of the total reserved forest area of Bangladesh and as such forms a rich and diverse ecosystem with potential for sustainable natural resource management. Man has exploited the Sundarban for centuries but the forest was not given Reserve status by the Forestry Department until 1875. Since that time the Forest Department has managed the forest and other natural resources of the SRF through adherence to management plans which it prepares at regular intervals.

Early management simply concentrated on revenue collection and the enforcement of felling rules to reduce overcutting, particularly in the eastern portion. The first real professional forest management planning was introduced in the SRF in the early 1900s with the introduction of the Curtis Working Plan.

However, more recently forest resource management has shifted to increase emphasis upon environmental and socio-economic issues.

The following table presents the fractions represented by forest and other land types in the Sundarban.

Areas in Sundarban

Source: Forest Resources Management Project 1998 (modified)

Forest Resources

The forest resource is defined as wood materials such as timber and fuelwood. Other products such as leaves, bark, and other associated non-woody plants are covered in the web page dealing with Non-Wood Forest Products.

The area of forest represented by the principal timber species is of interest for forest managers. The table below indicates the areas of forest types and is based upon stratification undertaken by ODA and refined using digitised information from satellite imagery (SPOT 1989) and aerial photography (1995).

Areas by species

Source: Forest Resources Management Project 1998 (modified)

Although the overall area of forest in the SRF is known, the crucial question is what is the volume by species, what is the growth rate and is the extraction exceeding the growth? This sustainability question is partially answered through reference to the results of various forest inventories.

Forest Sustainability

The results of four independent inventories undertaken over the past seventy years would seem to indicate that the overall volume per hectare has decreased. Moreover, closer analysis of three inventories undertaken in 1959, 1983 and 1996 indicate a marked reduction in total standing volume (expressed in millions of cubic metres) for the two principal species of economic importance, Sundri and Gewa. The following table highlights the dramatic decrease.

Volume per hectare and total standing volume as estimated by Forestal, ODA (now DIFD) and the Forest Resources Management Project (FRMP)

Source: Chaffey et al 1983 (ODA), Revilla et al 1998 (FRMP)

The reasons for the decline in Sundri, Heriteria fomes is twofold. First, as a valuable timber species with real commercial value, it has been subject to heavy exploitation, both legal and illegal. Second, subtle changes in the ecology of the area, notably increases in salinity and siltation have resulted in hostile anaerobic conditions in which the Sundri finds difficulty in healthy respiration. This has resulted in dieback whereby the tree is progressively defoliated from the top downwards.

The decline in Gewa, Excoecaria agallocha is largely attributable to harvesting of around 50,000 m3 per annum as feedstock to Khulna Newsprint Mill for the production of newsprint. Although the mill is scheduled to close, one line continues to operate.

In recognition of the importance to manage the forest resources in the SRF on a sustainable basis, the Forest Department imposed a logging moratorium in 1989 on all timber species except Gewa. Diseased Sundri is felled and cleared as part of a sanitation programme and of course illegal logging by fishermen and other collectors continues to have an impact.

Summary

In summary it can be said that the SRF has been well managed by the Forest Department for over a hundred years and represents one of the very few areas in the world where resource exploitation is controlled through strict enforcement. Although some illegal logging occurs, there is no evidence of encroachment or settlement within the Reserve and this is due to the vigilance of the Forest Department and respect for the Royal Bengal Tiger which is a renowned predator. This is a unique situation in the developing world. The three Wildlife Sanctuaries, declared as World Heritage Sites in December 1997, remain fully protected. However, when the forest resources within the SRF have recovered, the area can and should continue to provide goods and services to the people of Bangladesh as well as revenue to pay for careful management of the environment. Future sustainability of the Sundarban will be contingent upon political will, environmental awareness and the continued support from the Forest Department as custodians of the resources.