Experts and activists apprehend drastic loss of forests and biodiversity

A scene on June 4, 2004 near Lohoria Beat Office. Trees of a huge area have just been cut. The Forest Department knows about it. But the illegal cutting continues.Photo: Philip Gain

The Society for Environment and Human Development (SEHD) organised the workshop at Women's Voluntary Association (WVA) on 27 and 28 June. It was in the trail of its continued research, investigation, analysis, reporting, filming, and publishing on forestry issues. The resource persons at the workshop included experts and activists who have significant field experience. They shared their experiences and insights, images they have captured over the years, documentary films they have produced, write-ups and books they have written.

Fifty participants from diverse organisations including the Forest Department (FD) and Nishorgo (a government initiative to protect the last stands and the biodiversity it supports) shared their knowledge and insights on forestry issues. The underlying factors for deforestation, concerns regarding plantations (commercial and industrial) with alien and invasive species, role of international financial institutions (IFIs) -- the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank -- were particularly discussed.

A general consensus emerged that the government policies and projects in favour of man-made forests, viz. plantations were essentially flawed. "What was wisdom about plantations at one time has proven wrong now. Now is the time of conservation," this observation by Monoj Kanti Roy, conservator of forest (CF) of the Central Circle (Dhaka, Mymensingh, Tangail and Sylhet) testifies to a general perception that plantations on public forestland with alien or invasive species is fundamentally flawed.

Roy said that the Forest Department is now keen to see the remnants of the natural forests conserved.

"This is a big challenge. The processes of forest destruction are now at their height," said Philip Gain who has been reporting forestry issues and concerns for the last 15 years. Referring to the massive destruction of the once unique Modhupur sal forest he said, "In the past few years the banana, pineapple and papaya cultivators have illegally cleared thousands of acres of forestland. The clearing continues unabated. Given the trends, demise of the Modhupur forest is imminent. This is happening with the FD officials, employees and guards around."

"The biggest threats to public forests today are industrial plantation for production of raw materials for the pulp and paper mills, and commercial plantation for production of fuelwood," said Gain. "Industrial and commercial plantations are generally short-rotation. Between harvest and subsequent rotation of plantations, the land grabbers get an apt opportunity to put their hands on public forestland in collusion with the dishonest FD people."

The significance of the natural forests was unanimously recognised. "Forests are our mother stocks of species and seeds. We can plant trees, but we cannot create forest. It is very important that we try to save our last forests. Given the rapid destruction of the forest and loss of habitat it is difficult to save our last forests," said Dr. Ronald Halder a nature lover who produced well-meaning documentary films on forests and wildlife.

The attitude of the official guardians of the forest, viz. FD and the outsiders towards the forest and forest people is paternalistic. This is dangerous, said Pavel Partha, a passionate ethno-botanist who has been working on the medicinal plants that are disappearing fast with the destruction of the forests.

"We, the outsiders want to conserve the environment often with plantation. But the forest-dwelling Adivasis are part of the environment. They believe they are the custodians of the forests. Forests with the Adivasis and their traditions are most diverse," said Partha. "Plantations depict an opposite picture. These seriously lack biodiversity and cause massive soil erosion."

Among the major institutional threats to the forests are the World Bank and ADB, said Dr. Khaled Misbahuzzaman, associate professor of Institute of Forestry and Environmental Science, Chittagong University. "Forest Department is a project monger. Without projects [from these financial institutions] the existence of the FD is at stake," said Misbahuzzaman.

"Destruction of our forests is caused largely by wrong prescriptions that come from the World Bank, ADB and IMF. A solid example is the destruction of the mangroves for shrimp cultivation in the coastal areas," concurred Md Shamsuddha of Coastal Association for Social Transformation Trust (COAST).

"I am pessimistic about the forest. We may not be able to protect the last trees [outside the Sundar-bans] in the forest," said Enam Ul Haque, a nature lover who has been visiting the forests for the last 30 years. "In all our disappointment, we see the civilization that destroyed the forest and wildlife at one time, now wants to protect the forest and wildlife."

An enraged life-time observer of what has happened to the forest, Dwijen Sarma said, "infrastructure, construction, and tourism are not eco-friendly. These have destroyed our forests and caused havoc for the forest dwelling Adivasis."

"The basic principle of the FD is exploitation. This is ruthless. The FD opts for monoculture for profit." Criticizing the management of the botanical garden, Sarma said, "It is bizarre that the FD manages the botanical gardens. Our botanical garden in Dhaka does not match with true botanical gardens that I have seen in different countries. A botanical garden is not a pleasure garden. It's for academic purposes. Herbarium is the nucleus of the botanical gardens. In our country we do not see such ideal botanical gardens."

Sudibbya Kanti Khisha and Abantee Harun, two authors on jum (slash-and-burn) cultivation spoke on this mode of cultivation that is generally blamed as destructive to nature.

"Population increase, mainly for in-migration of Bangalees from the plains and flawed land use policies have upset the balance in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). Jumias are wrongly blamed," said Sudibbya Kanti Khisha. "We must try to bring back the forests and the jumias can help us."

"Had jum been primitive, it would not continue till today," said Abantee Harun, who has co-authored a recently published SEHD book on jum. "Plant and crop diversity have decreased in the CHT because of decrease in jum cultivation, reduced fallow period, competition for land and tendency to control jum. Not the jumias but the outsiders are behind these factors."

"We must unite, resist the misdeeds done to the forest and forest people, educate ourselves and do whatever else we can to save our last trees," was the pledge that the participants -- moved by the images and information shared -- took at the workshop.