To know the biophysical characteristics and importance of our wetlands

To know the management practices and issues of wetlands in Bangladesh

To recommend the possible solutions

BCAS (1994). Wetlands of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies in Association with Nature Conservation Movement, Dhaka.

Scott, D. A. (ed.) (1989). A Directory of Asian Wetlands, IUCN: The International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Ahmed, Q. K. (ed.) (2000). Bangladesh Water Vision 2025: Towards a Sustainable Water World, Bangladesh Water Partnership ( BWP), Dhaka.

Rasheed, K.B.S. (2008). Bangladesh: Resource and Environmental Profile. A H Development Publishing House, Dhaka.

Sarker, M.D.S.U. and Hussain, K. Z. (1990). Conservation of Wetland Wildlife of Bangladesh, in A Atiq Rahman, S. Huq and F. R. Conway(ed.). Environmental Aspect of Surface Water Systems of Bangladesh, The University Press Limited, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

IUCN-Bangladesh. (2005). Approaches to Sustainable Wetland Resource Management. IUCN Bangladesh Country Office, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

IUCN-Bangladesh. (2005). Introduction to Community Based Haor and Floodplain Resource Management. IUCN Bangladesh Country Office, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

IUCN-Bangladesh. (2005). Major Interventions for Sustainable Wetland Resource Management. IUCN Bangladesh Country Office, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Kabir, M. H. & Amin, S. M. N. (2007). Tanguar Haor: A Diversified Freshwater Wetland. Academic Press and Publishers Library, Dhaka.

“Areas of marsh, fen, peat land or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas marine water the depth of which at low tides does not exceed six meters”

More than two thirds of the country's landmass may be classified as wetlands according to this definition given by Ramsar Convention (IUCN,2005)

The total area of wetland in Bangladesh has been estimated to be 7-8 million hectares which is nearly 50% of the countries landmass.

But Chowdhury et al (1996) showed that, total wetland of Bangladesh cover about 11% of the total area which is 16,000 square km.

Wetland Beneficiary villages

Beneficiary population

Pagnar and Sanuar Dakuar Haor

42 28000

Hakaluki haor 30 35000

Padma-Jamuna Floodplain 43 35000

Madhumati Floodplain 31 30500

Brahmaputra Shitalakshya Floodplain

21 23000

Wetlands act as water purifier as it traps and filters the water that moves through it.

Slows down surface runoff.Reduce flooding and siltation of rivers.Reduce the action of toxic chemicals by

nutralizing them.Help replenish underground water reservoirs.

Habitat for plants and animals, migratory and resident water fowls & the significant endangered species.

Total number of vascular plants is 123 ( excluding trees and mangrove species)

Including swamp forest trees it becomes 157.

Blyxa Nymphoides

Asian Small Clawed Otters

It lives in mangrove swamps and freshwater wetlands of Bangladesh

Wetlands are major breeding, nesting and migration ground for waterfowl and shorebirds.

Wetland plants provide

Firewood, Thatching materialMedicinal plantsLivestock fodderFood source for humans

A family gathers Shapla to sell near Dhaka

Rice, jute, wheat, potato, cucumber, watermelon, tobacco etc are the common crops of haor and floodplain areas.

Crop Cultivation

The inland fisheries of Bangladesh cover 4.3 million hectares(94% open water, 6% closed water)

Types No. of species

Fish species 226

Water fowl species

125

Amphibian species

6

Reptile species

48

Total bird species

174

Aquatic mammals

12

It is worth mentioning that most of the ECA are wetlands.

overexploitation wetland resourceschemical fertilizers and pesticidewidespread collection of fire woodIllegal hunting of birdsMassive introduction of invasive alien plants

(e.g., Eichhornia crassipes (Kachuripana)) and fish (e.g., Clarius gariepinus (African magur), Oreochromis mossambicus (telapia), Cyprinus carpio (common carp) etc.)

high population pressure

Govt. of Bangladesh:Adopted WCS in the 1980sSet up Ministry of Environment and Forest (1989)Formation of National Conservation StrategyNational Environment Policy (1992)Became signatory of Ramsar Convention(1992)National Environment Management Action

Plan(1995)Environmental protection act(1995)Sustainable environment management

program(1996)

Bangladesh Perspective

a. natural water bodies such as beels, haors, and baors will be preserved for maintaining the aquatic environment and facilitating drainage.

b. only those water related projects will be taken up for execution that will not interfere with the aquatic characteristics of those water bodies.

c. haors that naturally dry up during the winter will be developed for dry season agriculture.

d. take up integrated projects in those water bodies for increasing fish production.

e. natural water bodies will be developed, where possible, for recreational use in support of tourism.

Implemented by :IUCNMinistry of Environment & ForestUNDPAssisted by:BCAS( Bangladesh Center for Advanced

Studies)CNRS( Centre for Natural Resource Studies)NACOM( Nature Conservation Management)

SUSTAINABILITY

Habitat restoration

Community organization

Environment fund

Awareness generation

Demonstrations

Interventions

Participatory Action

Plan Developme

nt

Baseline study

Meetings with stakeholders groupDiscussion sessionsDebates on specific issuesObservation of national & world daysStaging folk dramasHolding workshop and seminarsSchool awareness programDemonstration of sustainable farming systems

( includes fishing and bird hunting)

Creating ‘Village Group’ and ‘Village Environment Committee’

Incorporating vulnerable women and men in these committees

Community people of 8 villages donated their lands for building ‘Wetland Management and Training Centre’

Cattle raisingPoultry rearingHandicraft productionVegetable gardeningAccount managementLeadership developmentNatural resource management

Training sessions were provided for alternative livelihood generation

Participatory plantation Rehabilitating aquatic habitatsConservation of threatened wildlifeMedical Plant Conservation

Plantation along re-excavated canals or beels450,000 saplings of swamp forest species have

been planted covering an area of 500 acres/200 hectares in the project sites

Establishment of conservation area:250 ha area of Hakaluki haor has been protected to

accelerate natural succession of wetland flora and fauna

After 2 years, successful succession of hizal, karoch, bantulshi, gujja kanta, asparagus, nall, khagra etc have been ovserved

Large fauna like mongoose, fishing cat, snakes, frogs etc are found to be increasing in number

Reintroduction of locally extinct species:More than 150 thousand hatchlings and

fingerlings of the following species have been introduced in selected sites

PabdaHeronpuntiSarpuntiLocal magurRuiMrigel

Fish conservationDeveloping fish conservation areas20 fish sanctuaries in 5 sitesNo fishing for stipulated time

Fresh water turtle conservation2 hatcheries & some conservation areas150 hatchlings have been released in natural wetlands

Action plan to organize eco-tours which includes:

Construction of a dolphin watchtowerTurtle rearing in shrine pondsRudimentary natural history museum in schoolsRiver biodiversity watch-hutIchhamati riverine trailDeciduous forest trails

Village groups, village environment committee and village resource management committee have been provided a total amount of tk. 5.5 million.

Some groups have shown real success by doubling or making large profit from the seed money.

BEFORE: Hail Haor wetlands in 1999. Over the last 150 years, approximately 50 percent of dry season wetlands have disappeared, resulting in lower fish production. Environmental changes, such as flood embankments and large silt deposits have reduced the area and quality of Bangladesh’s water bodies.

AFTER: Hail Haor in 2006. This site has been restored to improve the flow of water and fish from larger rivers. Community management groups now control dry-season fishing. Native fish species have been reintroduced and local fishermen have seen their yields increase by over 150 percent, generating more than $10 million worth of fish in 2005 alone.Source:

http://www.usaid.gov/stories/bangladesh/ba_bg_wetlands.html

BEFORE

AFTER

Prohibit wetland conversion by lawRestore and rehabilitate the degraded

wetlandsBring all significant wetlands under

sustainable management programLimit hunting & fishing to such an extent that

breeding & spawning of various species is not hindered

Carry out Environmental Impact Assessment before initiating any engineering project