Friendship Starts Mangrove Rehabilitation

Fani highlights the immediate importance of reforestation

The Earth as we know it is at a precipice. Climate change has, perhaps a little too late, come to the forefront of global concerns. A low-lying network of riverine deltas, Bangladesh is particularly vulnerable to its effects.

Thankfully Bangladesh is also home to the world’s largest mangrove forest. With countless flora and fauna — the famous Royal Bengal Tiger among them — the Sundarban is an irreplaceable ecological resource and a natural buffer against extreme climate. But deforestation, poaching and pollution are scrubbing the forest off the map.

In April of 2018, Friendship started an effort to reforest 40 hectares of lost mangrove in the districts of Shayamnagar and Satkhira over five years. Since October, 50,300 of the planned 126,000 trees had been planted in Nakna village when the cyclone Fani struck the region last week.

Though these trees — Keora, Kakra, Baim, Dhundal, Khulshi, Goran, Golpata, to name a few — take about five years to mature, the ones that have been planted are already blossoming with flowers and fruit.

Besides planting trees, the program includes training and awareness raising sessions from the government for the local community to ensure sustainability. They are also provided with training and assistance for alternative means of income generation and resource gathering, as these communities are heavily reliant on the forests for their livelihoods.

As a result of the awareness sessions, the residents have taken the responsibility upon themselves to preserve the forests, and acknowledge the effect it will have on future generations.

The advantage of reforestation is three-pronged. First of all, it creates a habitat for the forest animals, many of which are nearing extinction. Coupled with its negating effect on carbon emissions and green house gases, the environmental benefit is undeniable. Moreover, animals that regain a habitat from the reforestation would otherwise have been forced into mutually dangerous interactions with human settlements.

Secondly, the restored forests will also serve as an economic resource for locals. The mangrove floor provides ideal breeding grounds for shrimp and crab. Fruits from the trees are often sold in the markets, as well as the famous Sundarban honey, providing both nourishment and a source of income. The Keora trees also provide a form of rubber that the locals harvest.

Finally, there is a vital disaster prevention advantage. The mangrove forest prevents salination of the soil, and act as a barrier against cyclones coming in from the Bay of Bengal. The people living in these areas are already marginalized and poor, and any protection is almost essential for their survival.

The villages of Ramjanpara in Satkhira suffered significant damage recently due to Cyclone Fani, and expressed their dismay that the reforestation efforts there had not started earlier. They believe that had the trees planted in Nakna grown to full size, they would have protected their villages from damage.

The Sundarbans have an undeniable long-term impact for ecological survival of the country, but Fani has highlighted that its protection and afforestation have a crucial, immediate importance.

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