Hope rekindled for a dying forest By Faizul Khan Tanim

Hope rekindled for a dying forest

Faizul Khan Tanim visits Lawachara forest which is returning from the brink of destruction through conservation efforts undertake by the forest department and funded by the USAID

photos by Sirajul Hossain

The thing that hits you when walking through Lawachara National Park, just outside Srimangal town in Sylhet, is the overpowering scent of pure greenness. At dawn, the forest glows as if the sun were involved in a wild love affair with the leaves. It is hard to believe that Lawachara is less beautiful now than it was for the first person who ever walked there. Ants march, birds chirp, wildcats prowl and apes dance through the trees, almost as if they had been choreographed for a Disney animation. Decades of destructive management policies of the Bangladesh Forest Department has meant that the Hoolock Gibbon—Bangladesh’s lone ape species that was once abundant in Lawachara—has seen its natural habitat shrink to the point edge of final destruction. The situation is now extremely grave for the gibbon; they are hanging on by a string in each of the countries like Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and China that they are native to. According to a study conducted by a Finnish ape researcher Petra Osterberg last year, there are only 49 Gibbons left in the Lawachara national park. Despite the decline in numbers, the sight and sound of the Hoolock is still one of the greatest attractions of Lawachara. These secretive apes can brachiate (swing through the trees) at a speed of 35 miles per hour, sometimes crossing distances of up to 50 feet at a time. And often referred to affectionately as songbirds, they can project their voices over a distance of up to two miles of dense forest canopy, defending their territory through elaborate vocal displays that consist of magnificent bird-like duets between mating pairs. More than 50 per cent of Bangladesh’s forest has disappeared over the last 25 to 30 years and even so-called ‘Protected Areas’ found in national parks and nature reserves are now under threat, according to the national Forest Department. Deforestation is leading to the elimination of scores of species of bird, animal, and flora, most notably the Barking Deer, the Leopard and the rare Phayre’s Leaf Monkey, all one-time residents of Lawachara. As a result, in June 2003 the Forest Department, with financial assistance from USAID, established a ‘Protected Area’ management programme entitled ‘the Nishorgo Support Project’ which will continue until May 2008. The project has been designed to improve the management of the country’s Protected Areas. Nishorgo focuses on strengthening relations between the Forest Department and local, regional and national organisations that can assist in conservation efforts. Conserving places like LNP has the biggest advantage of becoming one of the richest wildlife sanctuaries in the country earning huge amount of revenue from eco-tourism. Mehrin A Mahbub, communications coordinator of Nishorgo Support Project said, ‘There is a growing trend of tourists visiting LNP. In the last tourist season, from October 2006 till February 2007, there has been a record of 70,000 visitors/tourists’. ‘This figure will most likely double if the core objectives of the project can be fulfilled’, Mehrin added. Ishtiaq Uddin Ahmad, conservator of forests and national project director of Nishorgo Support Project (NSP) said, ‘LNP is a semi-evergreen hilly forest with an area of 1,250 hectares within the larger 2,740 hectares of West Bhanugach Reserve Forest. LNP holds 10 percent of the total Gibbon population in the world and is a corridor for migratory birds’. Notable species including six primates that are seen at the LNP are 246 kinds of birds, the Capped Langur, Pig-tailed Macaque, Black Squirrel, Orange-bellied Himalayan Squirrel, Masked Civet and more. Forty community patrol parties comprising of once-illegal loggers are protecting the forests trees and animals from logging and poaching. In Lawachara, 90 per cent illegal felling has been reduced after the community patrolling, claim park officials. Taka 20 is charged as an entry fee from each visitor to the park from which Tk 10 is contributed for its conservation. Tour guides have been introduced who charge a nominal fee for tours that are between one hour and 3 hours long and pass through one of the 15 new hiking trails introduced into the park. Six explanatory visitor brochures available in the newly built kiosk and rest houses inside LNP premises and more are added attractions to visiting this national park. According to Ishtiaq Uddin, even when the project ends in May 2008, the increase in tourism and the co-management partnership will keep LNP alive. ‘Plans regarding any major work in LNP are now designed a year ahead to make sure of avoiding any faults,’ Ishtiaq added. There are 18 settlements (villages) within the landscape covering 5 km from the forest boundary. Out of the 18 villages, 2 villages are located inside the forest inhabited by Khasia Adivasis. The largest is called the Magurchara Punji, which has 40 households and the other is called the Lawachara Punji and has 23 households. There is also a Tipra adivasi settlement with 75 households located at the south west boundary of the park. Paul Andrew Sabatine, director of program office, US agency for international development (USAID) said: Any USAID project should last five years after which the final output comes out. There has been massive improvement and progress of the project in the last twelve months. The mentality of the stakeholders around the project will be a key factor in deciding the project’s success. Another USAID official requesting anonymity said: The issues here are rather complex. An illegal logger used to earn Taka 10,000 to 20,000 by bringing down a tree and therefore it will be hard to keep them away, especially because they usually move in groups and are heavily armed against the guards patrolling LNP with just sticks. ‘But I must say I saw some amazing response when a tree feller was prosecuted few days back. Even the sawmill owner said it is illegal to fell tress and that he would not process stolen log’, the USAID official added. He also said that factors by which this project might not succeed after the project funding expires are: If the alternative income generation project does not work. It is mandatory for the residents living on forest resources to try and adopt new means of living other that tree felling. The fellers will stop once they have economic stability. He continued citing examples from another USAID funded nearby Management of aquatic ecosystems through community husbandry (MACH) project: The regeneration of fishes is very quick, taking few months. The fishermen can give gaps to allow growth but in case of forests, trees need 20 to 50 years to grow. It is difficult to explain to poor loggers that the potential payoff from forest resources is greater in the long run. As I travelled about 160 km north east of Dhaka, hiking through the trails of LNP by the national highway, it was an enchanting break, away from the urban hustle and bustle. I had the rare opportunity to see a group of seven to nine Capped Langurs but missed the sight of any songbird primates – the Hoolock Gibbons. Of this I am sure though: if this forest is destroyed and the Hoolock Gibbon is lost from Bangladesh, the loss will be irrevocable and tragic.

This article was first published in the daily New Age February 16 2007

http://www.newagebd.com/2007/feb/16/feb16/xtra_also3.html