Nishorgo: Bangladesh’s Protected Area Management Program

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OBJECTIVE | EXPECTED ACTIVITIES | COMPONENTS

The Nishorgo Program is a comprehensive effort to improve the management of the country's Protected Areas of all kinds. At the heart of Nishorgo is a focus on building partnerships between the Forest Department and key local and national stakeholders that can assist in conservation efforts.
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Nishorgo is the overall Program for improving the management and conservation of Bangladesh's protected areas with the general goal of ensuring a coherent and integrated PA strategy. The Nishorgo Program is a comprehensive effort to conserve the forestry through co-management by aiming to provide economic sustainability for the local people. Nishorgo Program was officially launched in Bhawal National Park on February 24, 2004 with the motto “Let us save nature for our future generation”.

The program was designed in close consultation among the Ministry of Environment & forests (MOEF), Forest Department and USAID.

As the name Nishorgo implies, the Program is in essence an enhancement and preservation of the unique beauty and biodiversity of the tropical forest of Bangladesh for our future generation. Further, Nishorgo will also promote the beauty of these natural forests through facilitating nature visits.

The stakeholder will get ownership of the of program not only in terms of benefit sharing but also management decisions will be taken collaboratively and through discussion.

The partners of Forest Department in the Nishorgo Program are as follows:
	The local people in and around protected areas. In many, if not most of our Protected Areas, Forest Villagers maintain permanent residence. The program and support project would work closely with these people, and ensure all of them as key and central partners in local efforts.
	Other partners include the private business community. The Nishorgo Program needs to reach out to them as a key member of a conservation support group.
	Other Ministries of Bangladesh Government are the partners as it is necessary to ensure well-coordinated Government efforts.
	The international donor communities would also act as partners in providing a measure of the resources necessary to put this program in place.
	The other local and international nature conservation institutes such as IUCN, Bangladesh wild life trust, etc. and the nature enthusiast individuals are also the partner and stakeholder of this program.
	The urban educated population who would be beneficial in generating public awareness and possible consumer for nature visits can also form partnership with the Program.
	Lastly but not the least, the young people are stakeholders.

At present in Bangladesh 17 Protected Area exists and two more are proposed and on their way to be announced. The following table shows the list of the country’s pristine Protected Areas:
*Protected Areas of Bangladesh*
SL No.	Name	Area (ha.)	Year of Notification
1	Sundarbans (East) Wildlife Sanctuary	31,226	1960 (1996)
2	Sundarbans (West) Wildlife Sanctuary	71,502	1996
3	Sundarbans (South) Wildlife Sanctuary	36,970	1996
4	Lawachara National Park	1,250	1996
5	Rema Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary	1,795	1996
6	Satchari National Park	243	2006
7	Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary	7,764	1986
8	Teknaf Game Reserve	11,615	1983
9	Bhawal National Park	5,022	1974 (1982)
10	Madhupur National Park	8,436	1962 (1982)
11	Ramsagar National Park	28	2001
12	Himchari National Park	1,729	1980
13	Kaptai National Park	5,464	1999
14	Nijhum Dweep National Park	16,352	2001
15	Medha Kachapia National Park	396	2004
16	Khadimnagar National Park	679	2006
17	Pablakhali Wildlife Sanctuary	42,087	1962 (1983)
18	Char Kukri-Mukri Wildlife Sanctuary	40	1981
19	Fashiakhali Wildlife Sanctuary	1,302	2007
20	Hajarikhil Wildlife Sanctuary (Proposed)	2,908	-

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of Nishorgo Program is to conserve the biodiversity within the PA of Bangladesh.
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The detailed objectives are as follows:

	A marked slowing of biodiversity loss in targeted Protected Areas;
	Active and formalized participation of local communities dependent on forest resources;
	An increase in the number of Protected Area sites and the capacity to receive visitors;
	Formalization of a Protected Area management system;
	Strengthening of local economy and betterment of living standard of local stakeholder;

EXPECTED ACTIVITIES

Expected activities of Nishorgo include the following, among others: .
	Development of formal co-management agreements for specific Protected Areas between the Department and stakeholders.
	Sharing of economic benefits from Protected Areas with local participating stakeholders.
	Determining avenues for alternative income generation activities for the local people.
	Assist in enterprise development opportunities around the PAs.
	Formalization of processes for reducing local conflicts over Protected Areas.
	Installation of visitor amenities in protected forest areas.
	Improvement of Forest Department facilities with Protected Areas.
	Refinement of the policy framework for Protected Areas management.
	Facilitation of eco-friendly private sector investment that can provide key services to Protected Areas.
	Support to applied research on Protected Areas that can improve future planning.

COMPONENT OF NISHORGO PROGRAM

The Program consists of six components, each necessary for the success of the overall Nishorgo effort.
	At the center of the Program is an effort to build and formalize the partnerships. It will formalize collaborative management agreements between the Forest Department, local communities and other key partners.
	Offer alternative income generating opportunities to those presently living from forest resources.
	Nishorgo Program will work to reinforce policy efforts. And it will work to reach out and communicate the rules and policies to all stakeholders.
	The fourth component of the Program includes a focus on institutional capacity and sustainability. Program must help build the capacity of other key stakeholders.
	Without proper infrastructure within the Parks, particularly for such things as well-marked trails, functional visitor's centers, staff housing, even user facilities for parking and access, the Nishorgo Program must ensure to put such infrastructure in place.
	Careful habitat management. It isn't enough always to stop the cutting of trees or the extraction of resources. At times, we will need to work to restore our forests to what they once were, with a careful eye to what is acceptable to local people.

Nishorgo Support Project, House 68 (2nd floor), Road No. 1, Block-I,
Banani, Dhaka-1213, Bangladesh. Tel: 880-2-987 3229, 880-2-987 1553; E-mail: ctfr@irgbd.com