What is the results of encroachment of public land for cultivation.
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Abstract
Conversion of forests is a major land use change in recent years. Tropical countries, characterized by huge population pressure and poverty, are major contributors to this conversion. Bangladesh, being one the most densely populated country and having diminishing forestland, has one of the lowest per capita forestland holdings. This paper looks at conversion of forestland by individuals. The socio-economic causes of encroachment and its pattern have been analysed. Limited land and unemployment have been identified as the major causes of encroachment and, if no measures are adopted within the next four decades, all the forests may be encroached upon.
1. Introduction
Bangladesh is one of the poorest countries with a low resource base and a huge population. National income is very low - per capita GDP in 2000 was only about 314 US$. The economy of the country is based mainly on agriculture. Due to huge population, low per capita land holding and very highly skewed distribution of lands (10% people hold 40% of land and 60% are landless) lead to overexploitation of natural resources (ADB 2000), including the forest resources.
Bangladesh has 11% of the landmass designated as forest (ADB 2002) but the actual tree cover is estimated at around 8-9%. Although the contribution of forests to the national economy is reasonable (2.6% in GDP), yet they play important role in maintaining quality of local and national environment. Forestry sector provides employment to 2% of the labor force (Anon 1997). In addition these forests are rich in biodiversity and abode of many endangered species.
In 1999 per capita forestland in the country was 105 m2 (FAO 2001). The existing forests are decreasing at rate of 9000 ha per year (FAO 1999). The main causes of forest degradation are encroachment (Flint 1994, Capistrano and Kiker 1995, Rasheed 1995, Kamal et al. 1999, Salam et al. 1999, ADB 2002, FAO 2002); illegal logging (Rasheed 1995); increased demand for fuelwood (Flint 1994, Rasheed 1995, ADB 2002) and unplanned development activities (Ahamed 1998, FAO 2002). Forests are encroached by individuals, group of individuals and institutions (Contreras - Hermosilla 2000). In different South Asian countries agriculture, population pressure, cash cropping, human settlement, pasture, road construction and shifting cultivation have been identified as the main causes of encroachment (Mather 1990, Collins et al.1991, Thapa and Weber 1995, Saxena et al. 1997). In Bangladesh, similar investigations to find the causes of encroachment, have not been reported.
1.1 Objective of the study
Thus the primary objective of the study is to obtain an insight into the encroachment of forests. Specific objectives are-
1. to find out the encroachment pattern by the individuals or group of individuals in the forests of Bangladesh
2. To gather information about the causes of encroachment.
2. Materials and methods
2.1 Selection of the study area
Forests of Bangladesh are of 3 types - hill, sal (Shorea robusta) and mangrove forest. Encroachment was reported in hill and sal forests (FMP 1993). So the sample units were taken from 12 Forest Divisions operating in these forests by adopting multistage sampling technique. Four (30%) forest divisions, two representing sal forests (Tangail Forest Division (TFD), Rangpur Forest Division (RFD)) and two representing hill forests (Chittagong Forest Division (CFD) and Cox’s Bazar Forest Division (CoFD)) have been randomly selected (Fig. - 1). From each division one range (administrative unit) has been selected randomly. Using the list of the encroachers maintained at the Range Office in each range, 10% of the encroacher families were selected randomly for interview (Table -1).
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