バングラデシュ沿岸マングローブ域の生態系機能・サービスの経済評価と動態マッピング

2014 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 14F04057
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: 灘岡 和夫 東京工業大学, 情報理工学研究科, 教授 (70164481)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): HOQUE A.t.m. 東京工業大学, 情報理工学研究科, 外国人特別研究員
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-25 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 生態系サービス / マングロ-ブ / 沿岸域 / バングラデシュ / Sundarbans

Outline of Annual Research Achievements

The aim of this study is to value the mangroves ecosystems functions and services towards coastal peoples in Bangladesh. During the first fiscal year the research fellow, Dr. Hoque visited Bangladesh to select candidate sites and established networks with the potential field level stakeholders (mainly the forest user groups) as well as Government Organization, Non-Government Organizations and local Governments representatives. By this time five candidate sites have been selected. Sundarbans mangrove forest in the south-western Bangladesh and four other sites in mangrove areas of the south eastern (Chittagong Coastal Forest Division) Bangladesh were considered for the study. Revenue data were collected from concerned Government offices. Revenue collected by the Forest Department since last 15 years were compiled and compared. For typology development necessary survey works have been done, including 15 Focus Group Discussions and 30 personal Interviews. Though it was hypothesized that revenue from forest products like timber, fuel wood, thatching materials would be high, fisheries found as highest contributory source for revenue in Sundarbans based on last five years data. On the other hand, revenue of Chittagong coastal forest division was not that high as those mangroves were considered mainly for the protection purposes. A different source of revenue such as revenue from the auctions of date palm trees for seasonal juice collection was seen a major contributory source at the south eastern mangrove area.

Current Status of Research Progress

2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.

Reason

We have selected five study sites based on environmental conditions and ecosystem deterioration. Output so far achieved is balanced according to the research plan. Considering the research plan typology development is under final stage based on the focus group discussions and personal interviews. Socio-economic data of mangrove dependent local residents were collected during the field work. Prospective policy makers and officials are selected for next interview to compare and accommodate expert views with local residents.
Reconnaissance survey was carried out for quantitative evaluation of ecosystem functions and services and also changes of socio-economic structural changes in selected typology. Preliminary necessary information is collected for evaluating land use changes due to a variety of existing anthropogenic environmental impact.

Strategy for Future Research Activity

We intend to estimate the value of ecosystem functions and services from the mangroves in Bangladesh. The greater aim of the output is to suggest policymakers to decide better management options for sustainable mangrove management in Bangladesh keeping pace with the better global practices. By this time sufficient data have been collected to develop specific typology. Such typology development created avenue for the fellow to proceed in data collection with specific ecosystem services. Based on selected typology, the fellow will visit the tourist companies relevant to the mangroves and also get data from tourists during the next tourist season. Survey will be carried out with fishermen in Dublar char, a famous fishermen seasonal village. Most of the dried fish comes from that island in Sundarbans mangrove forest. Besides, fishermen of south eastern mangrove sites will also be surveyed. Visitors in the Rash mela, a famous annual event inside the deep mangrove forest of Sundarbans, will be surveyed to get data concerning their willingness to pay.
Field data to check the current land-use practices around the mangrove forest will be gathered and satellite images will be compared to see the land-use change pattern of mangrove areas in last few decades.
Possible future extension of fellowship such as JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship (Pathway to University Positions in Japan) would be a great opportunity for the fellow to come up with better decisions to be taken by the policy makers in protecting mangroves in Bangladesh.