DEFORESTATION AND BIODIVERSITY DEGRADATION IN MADHUPUR SAL FOREST AT TANGAIL REGION

Md. Sirajul  Islam; Shimul  Roy; Sayma  Khanom; Mahmudul  Islam

doi:10.53808/KUS.2013.11and12.1201-SC

Authors

Md. Sirajul Islam Department of Environmental Science and Resource Management, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Tangail-1902, Bangladesh
Shimul Roy Department of Soil, Water and Environment, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
Sayma Khanom Department of Soil, Water and Environment, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
Mahmudul Islam Department of Environmental Science and Disaster Management, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Patuakhali-8602, Bangladesh

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53808/KUS.2013.11and12.1201-SC

Keywords:

Environmental degradation, deforestation, Madhupur sal forest

Abstract

The study was conducted to investigate the deforestation and biodiversity degradation in Madhupur sal forest of Tangail region during April to September 2010. Households from different garo villages of two selected unions under the forest were contacted for interview to identify the resource consumption pattern and to know their views about deforestation and biodiversity degradation in the forest. Various commercial activities such as large scale plantation of pineapple, banana and papaya trigger the environmental degradation inside the forest through many ways therefore degrading the remaining forest patches, soil quality of the forest and reducing the forest biodiversity. Most of the respondents mentioned that major causes for biodiversity loss including deforestation followed by commercial logging, loss of habitat and lack of conservation initiatives. Results of the study suggested that restriction on human interference inside the forest is the effective solution for reducing deforestation and biodiversity degradation. The study identified that the loss of biodiversity in the forest depended on the effect of deforestation, threats to indigenous livelihood, enhanced greenhouse effect, lowering ground water levels and soil erosion, respectively.

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