The Sundarbans is the single largest mangrove forest in the World. The Sundarbans mangrove flagship ecosystem is the natural safeguard and provides livelihood support to almost 3.5 millions of coastal people. However, the Sundarbans adjacent communities don’t engage themselves in conservation activities. They are involved in unsustainable resources harvesting and using activities due to their poverty and lack of education.
Bangladesh Environment and Development Society (BEDS) and Korea Green Foundation (KGF) have been trying to promote ecological balance and create harmony between humans and nature by establishing an ecovillage in the Sundarbans coastal region of Bangladesh for solving the major complex social and environmental problems such as poverty, drinking water, electricity, cooking fuel, riverbank erosion, education, natural resources management, woman empowerment, etc. Eco Village BEDS was divided into three elements: Green Housing, Green Education, and Green Business.
An ecovillage is the best way to solve complex social and environmental problems by the local people without harming the ecosystem and achieve the SDGs. Under the Green Housing component, 4,594 people are getting safe drinking water; 375 households received fuel-efficient cooking stoves. 3,000 families have enlightened by solar energy. A total of 150,000 mangroves and nearly 130,000 social trees have been planted. We introduced climate-adaptive house design. We established a native seed preservation house. 4,050 students from 25 schools are getting environmental education. 340 villagers are learning environment-friendly farming and fishing. 90 local tour operators and 60 local tour guides received training on eco-tourism. 60 families got training on local culture and heritage promotion. Finally, 45 women received handicraft training and sewing activities.
Membership & Visitors
- Current members: 6067
- Open to new members
- Open to visitors
People from all over the world can join us with our initiatives (Safe Drinking Water, Renewable Energy, Fuel Efficient Cooking Stoves, Agriculture, Fisheries, Environmental Education, Mangrove Restoration, Eco-Tourism, Climate Change Adaptation, etc.) by providing technical and financial support.
Images & Video
This is a unique journey to discover some of the most complex environmental, social and economic problems affecting Bangladesh and BEDS has been working on to provide systemic solutions for the local population and natural ecosystem. This story of transformation is—ultimately—about a new development model able to bring together economic and social progress with natural regeneration in one of the most precious natural ecosystems of the world: the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest. A story of empowerment, collaboration, trust and social entrepreneurship to shape a resilient future in the face of climate change, poverty and natural degradation. A community-based approach to have the way for a new relation between humans and nature.
Hello! I am interested in learning about ecological projects around the world. I am part of SEN (Scandinavian ecovillage network), currently living in Finland, but soon traveling to Thailand to volunteer in an ecovillage.
I see that you accept visitors and I would like to know some more information about your projects, arranging the visit, accomodation possibilities and how to get to this area.