Bangladesh-Myanmar cooperation to conserve forest genetic resources

Karar Mahmudul Hasan

The total area of Bangladesh is 14.757 million hectares (Stat. Year Book 2004). In the current National Forest Assessment (NFA 2005-2007), 56 per cent of the area has been classified as "cultivated land", almost 20 per cent as "villages", 14 per cent as "inland water", close to 10 per cent as "forest" and less than 1.0 per cent as "built up areas." The two most common forest types - hill forest and mangrove forest, cover more than two third of the total forest area. Bamboo forest covers almost 13 per cent and long rotation plantations almost 10 per cent of the total forest area of the country.

Mr. Roushan Ali Choudhury, who worked as Chief Conservator of Forests during late 80s, and most learned and knowledgeable forester in the country, stated that the forest area (1984) in Bangladesh is about 15 per cent of the total land and he added that only 0.93 million ha. is under tree cover which is about 40 per cent of the government controlled forests (UNDP/FAO Global Environment Monitoring System, 1983-84). And the remaining 60 per cent includes the demanded grassland, scrub and encroached lands.

The major problems in the forestry sector are as follows:

a) Though forest covers 15 per cent land area, tree coverage is only 6.5 per cent.

b) Forests are not evenly distributed and have an inverse relation with population density. In the northern part of the country the tree coverage is only about 1.0 per cent.

c) The gap between demand and supply is fast expanding due to increase in population pressure leading to fast depletion of the government forests and village woodlots.

d) Presently forestry activities are confined mainly within the government areas. No effective management pattern or development strategy has been evolved to cover the village woodlots.

e) So far development schemes have been taken on the basis of sectoral allocation. No effort has been taken to assess the problems in a given long-term time-frame and reach the overall objectives including meeting the demands of fuel wood, timber and attaining the desired tree cover for ecological balance, within that target time.

f) The importance given to the forestry sector by the government has not so far been matched up by corresponding increase in the sectoral allocation.

g) The scientific approach and resource management concept has largely been missing among the professional foresters and

h) Forestry management has been so far oriented towards the end use of forest products and the overall context of ecological and environmental perspective has largely been absent.

i) Manpower development in the forestry sector did not get the appropriate priority. So there is a serious shortage of technical and trained manpower due to lack of facilities and much-needed extra incentive in the training and research institutes which have failed to draw quality manpower and retain them.

Myanmar has one of the highest proportions of forest cover in Asia and the Pacific. The country's forests harbour abundant fauna and flora, and are seriously safeguarded for present and future generations. Like many other countries, Myanmar's forests face threats from unsustainable land use, a lack of clear land-use policies, forest encroachment, deforestation, wildlife poaching, lack of trained staff and inadequate material resources.

Developing countries such as Myanmar must use forest genetic resources to advance economic and social development. The Forest Department balances the demands of development and conservation within an overall framework of sustainable forest management. The government recognizes the importance of systematically conserving and using forest genetic resources for their long-term benefits and for the economic development of the country.

At present, well-integrated arrangements for managing Myanmar's natural resources are lacking. These will be promoted in future by establishing an appropriate policy, planning and regulatory framework. Environmental awareness, active participation of local communities and better coordination between local authorities and the various agencies active in agriculture, forestry, fishery and rural development will be essential to this integrated approach.

Though Myanmar is very rich in forest resources, it does not have adequate training and research facilities. On the other hand, Bangladesh with limited forest areas/resources, has commendable training and research facilities.

The Institute of Forestry (IOF) is a university-level institute under the Ministry of Forestry and the only institute in Myanmar that offers an undergraduate degree (B.Sc) in forestry. The institute's annual output is about 50 forestry graduates. However, it is less than the graduate officers' requirements of the Forest Department, the Dry Zone Greening Department and the Myanmar Timber Enterprise. Post-graduate teaching at the institute consists of course work for a diploma and original research work for a master's degree. In addition to forestry and wood processing, modules in community forestry, national parks and wildlife management, watershed management and environmental forestry are offered.

The history of the Myanmar Forest School can be traced to the 19th century. The school was started in 1898 in Tharawaddy, a town in Bago Division. In the years between the two world wars, the school moved to Pyinmana and took in an additional 21 students from Thailand. The school moved a further three times before the Japanese occupation of 1942-45, but after the war it was reopened in Pyinmana. After a further move in 1950, the school moved to its current location in Pyin-Oo-Lwin (Maymyo) in 1953. The school provides training in logging operations.

Myanmar's Forest Research Institute which has a long history and performing, in other words, giving glorious and useful services to the forestry of that country, may conveniently cooperate with different Forestry Research activities with which Bangladesh is well-equipped.

In the sub-continent, prior to the partition of India in 1947, forestry research and education were centrally administered while the provinces were responsible for afforestation and management of forests. After partition, the Indian Forest Research Institute and colleges, Dehradun fell in Indian part and a forestry institute was, therefore, established in the western wing (Peshawar) of the then Pakistan. In the mid-fifties, a Forest Research Laboratory (FRL) was set up in the eastern wing at Chittagong by the then central government with the assistance of ICA of USA (USAID) who provided a full set of equipment and machinery necessary for conducting research and also advisers for forest products research and training of the researchers in the USA. FRL was entrusted with the task of products utilization research for the entire country whereas the Peshawar Institute dealt with the research on forest management, silviculture and biological sciences.

In the mid-sixties, the necessity of initiating research on all the aspects of forestry was keenly felt and hence FRL was expanded with the opening of Silviculture, Botany and Economics Divisions. FRL was renamed as Forest Research Institute (FRI). The Silvicultural Research Division (with its field stations) of the then East Pakistan Government was transferred into FRI few years later.

A Technical Assistance Project was initiated in 1968 with assistance from UNDP/FAO for strengthening forest management research activities in the fields of silviculture, seed orchard establishment, forest inventory, forest economics, etc. It was suspended in 1971. After liberation, the government of Bangladesh took the initiative to rehabilitate BFRI during the First Five year plan with technical assistance of UNDP/FAO. Several TA projects mainly with UNDP/FAO and also ODA and IDRC assistance had been executed since then.

The Research Program of BFRT is :

1. National Forest Seed Centre

2. Forest Soil Research, Pedological, Nutritional, Land use, Soil Conservation Watershed Management

3. Genetical Tree Improvement and Seed orchard

4. Nursery Techniques

5. Introduction of Exotics and Testing of both indigenous and exotic multi-purpose trees.

6. Plantation Technique and Forest Management

7. Mangrove Research

8. Forest Inventory and Studies on Growth and Yield of Tree species

9. Non-timber and Non-Agricultural Economic Crops

10. Bamboo Research

11. Rubber Research

12. Agroforestry and Farming System Research and Development

13. Forest Protection

14. Collection and Taxonomy of Plants, Wood, Fungi and Insects

15. Survey and Conservation of Wildlife

16. Bio-Statistics and Economics of Forest and Forest products

17. Anatomical, Chemical, Physical and Mechanical Properties of Wood

18. Sawmilling, Woodworking and Timber Engineering

19. Wood Seasoning

20. Preservation of Timber and other Vegetable Plant Fibres

21. Panel Products and Composites

22. Chemistry of Forest Products and Chemical Product Development

23. Pulp and Pulp Products

24. End-use Classification of Lesser Known Timber species

25. Product Development and Transfer of Technology

During mid 90s, University of Chittagong had opened a new Faculty of Forestry, where Honours and MSc degrees are being given to hundreds of students every year. Myanmar and Bangladesh may join hands to exhaustively cooperate in the field of forestry in totality and sharing training facilities on different facets of Forestry and Research for sharing knowledge and expertise for mutual benefit. Bangladesh may accommodate at least two hundred students of Myanmar to study honours and above, every year.

This scribe thinks Forest Sector may work as an important window to facilitate enhanced friendship between two brotherly neighbours with least or no hurdle at all. Let the two brothers start working to that direction without any further loss of time.

Bangladesh Forest Research Institute (BFRI) is very rich in different types of forest-related works - which are:

Forest Products Research

1. Wood working and Timber Engineering Division

2. Seasoning and Timber Physics Division

3. Wood Preservation Division

4. Pulp and Paper Division

5. Veneer and Composite Wood Products Division

6. Forest Chemistry Division

Forest Management Research

1. Silvicultural Research Division

2. Forest Economics Division

3. Forest Protection Division

4. Minor Forest Products Division

5. Forest Botany Division

6. Soil Science Division

7. Silviculture Genetics Division

8. Seed Orchard Division

9. Forest Inventory Division

10. Mangrove Silviculture Division

11. Plantation Trial Unit

12. Wildlife Section

Myanmar's forest area is at least thirty times bigger than that of Bangladesh. But due to many known and unknown reasons, research, training and high education on forestry related subjects in Myanmar is still limited. Against this backdrop, Bangladesh- may extend all facilities regarding the above to authorities concerned of Myanmar. This writer would like to request Myanmar Ambassador in Dhaka H.E. Mr. Phae Thann Oo to take up these issues with his government and initiate appropriate proposals to the government of Bangladesh seeking cooperation. He (writer) is confident that Bangladesh government will instantly consider the proposal with due seriousness and respond immediately to take effective measures as felt necessary to the satisfaction of our neighbour, Myanmar.

The writer is former secretary to the Government of Bangladesh.

He can be reached at

email: karar.hassan@gmail.com