Mangrove Restoration for Coastal Protection

We are requesting all of you to participate the mangrove conservation and protection for protecting our planet from the climate crisis. This is our basic needs for creating a better future for our next generation and our survivability. Mangrove is important for coastal livelihoods, protection, habitat for biodiversity which is called Nature based solution in terms of climate change adaptation.

Mangrove restoration in the Sundarbans coastal region to a great extent can be a realistic approach to conserve the Sundarbans forest. Bangladesh Environment and Development Society (BEDS) has been working for mangrove restoration since 2013 together with local people. BEDS has been regenerating mangroves on the river bank side to create a mangrove buffer zone by assisting the natural regeneration process so that it can protect the coastal embankment and create a forest. As a part of climate change adaptation, BEDS introduced integrated mangrove aquaculture system among the coastal shrimp farmers to increase the economic condition of the farmers and mangrove coverage in the shrimp farm area while engaging different multi-stakeholder partners. BEDS also encouraged coastal women to establish mangrove nurseries due to the high demand for mangrove saplings. The women who are only engaged in daily housekeeping activities and collecting mangrove seeds for cooking fuel get a chance to have another livelihood opportunity. BEDS facilitates the women with training and support materials to establish a mangrove nursery.

Within this initiative, BEDS has created a model of a community-based conservation initiative. BEDS believes that any kind of conservation initiative can be successful with the active participation of the local community.

Links:

• Community Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration

This is the time for act locally so we are not wasting our time to take action at  the grass-roots level. The local people are standing for protecting themselves from the natural disaster by planting and regenerating the mangrove. So, far we have planted more than 0.51 million mangroves covering 84 ha of coastal land. The biodiversity of the area has been also increasing, like the appearance of bees, birds, monitor lizard, crocodile and etc. Our trained shrimp farmers on IMA (Integrated Mangrove Aquaculture) have stopped to cut the existing mangroves and replanted mangroves in their farms. A total of 7 mangrove nurseries (6 nurseries in Dacope and 1 nursery in Shyamnagar) have been established by the coastal women of the Sundarbans and they have become self-employed to contribute to their family ensuring sustainable livelihoods in response to global climate change.

Links:

• Mangrove plantation for Coastal Protection for reducing the loss