Move to conserve biodiversity with local community help

The courses were organised by the Nishorgo Support Project, a protected area management programme of the Forest Department, says a press release.

The five protected pilot sites are Lawachara National Park in Moulvibazar and Habiganj, Rema-Kelanga Wildlife Sanctuary and Satchuri Reserve Forest in Srimangol, Moulvibazar and Teknaf Game Reserve and Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary situated in between Cox's Bazar and Chittagong.

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A two-day session was held each at Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary and Teknaf Game Reserve from August 8 to11 and at Rema-Kelanga, Lawachara and Satchuri on August 15 and 23.

Local administrations, municipality chairman, police, journalists, senior Forest Department officials and USAID representatives discussed prevailing issues that contribute to forest degradation.

The Nishorgo team briefed the modality of the programme, how it can help alleviate the constraints of partners and why the participation from the local community is crucial. There were group discussions and many suggestions came from the participants on the programme's implementation mechanism.

National parks, wildlife sanctuaries and game reserves are collectively referred to as protected areas. The areas are abodes of boundless natural beauty and thousands of flora and fauna including many endangered species. If properly managed, the areas can act as a pole for economic contributions to the locality. At present there are 17 such protected areas in Bangladesh.