Co-management Effects on Forest Restoration in Protected Areas of Bangladesh: A Remote Sensing and GIS-based Analysis

• DOI: 10.20944/preprints202408.1735.v1
• Publication Date: 2024-08-26T01:00:31Z
• Authors: Md Rezaul Karim; Md Abdul Halim; Imrul Kayes; Wenxi Liao; Sharif A. Mukul; Tuihedur Rahman; Sean Thomas
• Keywords: tropical forest; co-management; Bangladesh; S; vegetation indices; protected area; Agriculture; vegetation cover

Co-management is increasingly recognized as an effective approach of forest governance while recognizing local people's dependency and traditional rights. Moreover, co-management expected to positively impact cover ecosystem health. Bangladesh, facing a rapid decline in cover, has one the lowest per capita areas worldwide. For quite while, practices have been used improve livelihoods forest-dependent people Bangladesh. Several studies assessed efficacy different protected Bangladesh from livelihood, social, cultural aspects. However, overall changes due very beginning initiatives country overlooked. We remotely sensed Landsat images assess land use five where was piloted. Three major vegetation indices (NDVI, EVI, MSAVI) were examined ensure study's robustness. This study aims scope weaknesses current policy that incorporates country's first (SNP, LNP, RKWS, TWS, CWS), which brought under 2003, compare relative non-comanaged (RRF). The analysis based on NDVI, MSAVI, EVI values indicated dominant dense coverage (41–71%) across areas. During period (2004–2015), there significant decrease proportion, with slopes ranging -3.7 -0.96. Similarly, RRF showed decreasing pattern, slope trendline -0.48 -0.62 three indices. Agriculture forest-agriculture mosaics increase, varying among both co-managed sites. Pixel-to-pixel revealed dynamic shifts indices, Global Forest Watch data highlighted losses, notably CWS (158.77 ha) SNP (0.49 ha).