Mowdudur Rahman

Since 1996 the organization Centre for Coastal Environmental Conservation (CCEC) has implemented a number of projects on Bangladesh Sundarbans involving resource dependent community, the bawali (wood & thatch cutter), mawali (honey extractor) & jellay (fish and crab) and primary school teachers on the development of conservation ethics and livelihoods. The organization has developed Co-operative Group Approach model for sustainable livelihoods for the resource harvesters and environmental education package for the teachers. The Sundarbans of Bangladesh consist of over 4000 sq.km of mangrove forest. It extends westwards into India (6000 sq.km) and is the largest mangrove forest in the world. The unique terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems is the ideal habitats for a variety of mammals (32 species are recorded), waders and seabirds and also suitable nesting sites for both marine turtles and estuarine terrapin Batagur baska (Blower, 1985) but above all the Sundarbans are well known as the Bengal tiger. The UNESCO has declared the remaining contiguous mangroves as a natural World Heritage site and also the Sundarbans is a Ramsar site for the wetlands & migratory birds . As a shield, the mangroves gives shelter of the coastal communities and a major source of livelihood for thousands of resource users including crab harvesters. The proposed Hildur Jackson Award Application aims to replicate the Co-operative Group Approach model for livelihood scheme operation for the Sundarbans crab harvesters of Mathurapur, Shyamnagar fishermen (catch fish & crab) community of Harinagar from the experience of Nalian (Khulna Range) and Burigoalini ( Satkhira Range) forest range location experience towards regenerative best-practices among mangroves Sundarbans community.
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