Forest co-management for improvement of livelihood and forest cover: Experience from Sal Forest of Bangladesh

Forest conservation and livelihood improvement are the prime goals of forest-protected area co-management widely practiced in tropical countries. In Bangladesh, the co-management of protected areas (PA) started in 2004 with the funding of donor agencies involving the forest department (FD), non-government organizations (NGOs), along with the communities living in and around the forests. Thus, it is imperative to decipher the impact of co-management on the livelihood of forest-dependent communities (FDC) and forest cover change. The data on livelihood improvement were collected through quantitative and qualitative methods, while satellite data (Landsat images of the years 2008, 2015, and 2022) were utilized to detect forest cover change. The finding indicates that the co-management approach has positively impacted the livelihood of FDC by securing their income sources. The alternate income-generating activities (IGAs) provided to the FDC aids in securing income and livelihoods. However, the communities have experienced antagonistic relationships with forest officials, undesirably influencing their livelihoods. Reducing the dissent on forest management activities between forest officials and participants of the co-management program might positively impact the restoration of the PA. The forest cover area has increased by 18 ha just after the finish of the co-management program, and 18.9 ha has risen from 2009 to 2022. This forest cover increase might be due to the plantation in the denuded areas and livelihood improvement through IGAs posing less pressure on the forest. Therefore, co-management of the Sal forest might increase forest cover and improve the livelihood of FDC.