Perceptions of local people toward community development and forest conservation in Bangladesh: The case of Sal forests

During the last few decades, forest resources in most developing countries have declined alarmingly, due to extreme pressure from population and poverty. Bangladesh has lost most of its forests during the last 40 years. Nevertheless, degradation of forest remains a matter of concern, emphasizing the fact that effective conservation of natural resources is possible only with an understanding of the attitudes and perceptions of local community. Community involvement in forest management, a relatively new practice in Bangladesh, was initiated with the dual purpose of limiting forest degradation and enhancing community development. In Bangladesh, many forestry projects have been introduced to manage forest resources involving local communities, although few of them have been sustained. The Forest Department of Bangladesh has implemented a program to conserve forests, by improving the livelihoods of people dependent on forests in the Madhupur Sal area. This study examined the perceptions of local people toward community development and forest conservation, and further analyzed factors that present the changing trends in forest conservation and livelihoods in and around forested areas. We conducted a household survey in the forestry project, surveying 200 community forest workers (CFWs). The CFWs were randomly selected and interviewed, and we analyzed human, physical, financial, natural, and social livelihood capitals. The forest conservation program improved the livelihoods of the local community. The perceptions of the community about the general conditions of the forests, and attitudes of the local population about forest conservation, were improved. Dependence on the forests has also noticeably declined during the last few years. An additional outcome of the management program was empowerment and increased dignity of female participants. Such improvements would likely lead to improvements in livelihoods, as well as more sustainable forest management and conservation.