LIFEWEB PROJECT EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
NOTES:
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available at http://www.cbd.int/lifeweb/projectprofile.
SECTION I: BASIC INFORMATION
COUNTRY
People’s Republic of Bangladesh
PROJECT TITLE
Establishing a Protected Area Network for Threatened Freshwater Cetaceans in the Sundarbans Mangrove
Forest, Bangladesh
GEOGRAPHIC SCALE
Please check one of the following.
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Sub-national
National
Multi-national
SUBMITTED BY
Please check one of the following.
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Government
Indigenous or Local Community
NGO
SCOPE
Please check all that apply to this project.
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Creating new protected area(s)
Strengthening management of existing protected area(s)
Improving the protected area enabling environment
If this project’s scope involves the strengthening management of existing protected area(s), please indicate
the names of the area(s) that will be strengthened, among those registered in the World Data Base on
Protected Areas (WDPA). If the area(s) are not registered in the WDPA, please indicate the complete name(s)
and you will be contacted by the WDPA inviting you to register it.
Sundarbans Reserved Forest http://www.wdpa.org/siteSheet.aspx?sitecode=67808
MAP AND PICTURES
Please attach a map situating the project area. If possible, please send at least two pictures and any additional
media of the area.
SECTION II: PROJECT DESCRIPTION
LOCAL CONTEXT AND PROBLEMS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE PROJECT
Please describe the area context and challenges (including threats to biodiversity) being faced. You are
welcome to attach supporting documents.
The Sundarbans of Bangladesh are already experiencing the ecological effects of global climate change and
declining freshwater supplies: seawater is encroaching farther into the mangrove forest and sedimentation is
increasing in areas of key biological importance. Current understanding of the physical processes and details
of ecological effects on this region and its wildlife are insufficient to develop the management strategies
needed to protect this global “hotspot” of cetacean diversity and abundance. The sensitivity of dolphins in
Bangladesh to physical and ecological changes related to freshwater inputs and sea-level rise led to a recent
recommendation by the International Whaling Commission’ Scientific Committee that they be used as a case
study for understanding the impacts of climate change on cetaceans (Smith et al. 2008).
At the same time, freshwater cetaceans in Bangladesh are threatened by increasing incidental kills, primarily
from entanglement in gillnets but also from long lines and trawl fisheries. Bycatches occurring in these
fisheries may also be undermining their sustainability. There is an urgent need to develop and promote
alternative fishing gear and practices and to establish time-area closures, both for protecting threatened
freshwater cetaceans and for ensuring the sustainability of fisheries vital to the economy and food security of
local communities.
The Government of Bangladesh (GoB) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) seek to ensure the
protection of freshwater cetaceans in Bangladesh now, while the current population sizes of two species at
risk are known to be sufficient for long-term persistence if threats can be reduced, while concurrently
safeguarding the well-being of local fishermen who depend on the same aquatic resources. This project will
fundamentally connect the welfare of fishermen and cetaceans, and engage local communities in the
development of sustainable strategies for managing aquatic resources through the establishment of a
protected area network that addresses aquatic needs within an existing multiple-use protected area (Eastern
Sundarbans Reserved Forest) currently focused on managing the mangrove forest and terrestrial wildlife.
The project addresses all four interlinked elements of the CBD Program of Work on Protected Areas
(PoWPA) in that it (1) strengthens an existing national system of protected areas as a contribution to globally
recognized goals for species conservation (2) promotes participation, equity and benefit sharing within the
context of protecting threatened species and a vulnerable aquatic ecosystem, (3) establishes a sustainable
program of enabling activities including capacity building, policy support, awareness raising, and targeted
research, and (4) provides a rigorous mechanism for assessment and monitoring in support of management
goals.
ECOLOGICAL CONTRIBUTION
Please indicate the extent to which the area(s) is/are ecological priority(s) for the national protected area
system, based on contribution to ecological representation, connectivity, viability and/or irreplaceability within
the protected area system. If possible, please refer to the national ecological gap analysis or other geographic
prioritisation exercises and attach supporting documents.
The Ganges River dolphin (Platanista gangetica), a freshwater species, is in immediate danger of extinction.
The diversity and scale of threats facing these animals indicate the need for more focused conservation
attention. The Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) occupies both riverine and nearshore marine
environments with freshwater input. Populations are low in every area where they have been studied, except
in Bangladesh, and their range has significantly declined. Threats from bycatch and habitat degradation are
severe and pervasive. Ganges River and Irrawaddy dolphins remain patchily distributed in the Sundarbans in
sufficient numbers for early conservation interventions to be effective, and for the mangrove forest to serve as
a global safety net for protecting both species. Their populations in other areas are generally at higher risk
due to low numbers and intensive human threats. The recent probable extinction of the Yangtze River dolphin
(Lipotes vexillifer), a species that shared a similar trait of evolutionary distinctiveness with the Ganges River
dolphin, has taught us that conservation efforts must begin early and focus on ecologically defined areas
where human activities can be more effectively managed.
This project aims to conserve Ganges River and Irrawaddy dolphins through the establishment of a protected
area network that is based on sound science, benefits from positive local support, and is sustained by a welltrained, competent local team of government officials, community leaders, and volunteer university students.
Increasing recognition of the impacts of fisheries bycatch (Fahrni-Mansur et al. 2008; Smith et al. 2006),
declining freshwater supplies, and sea-level rise (Smith et al. 2009) on freshwater cetaceans make this
project a high priority for conserving these iconic species. Additionally, knowledge of the potential for these
animals to serve as biological indicators of the ecosystem-level impacts of these threats and inform the
development of adaptive human-wildlife management (Smith et al. 2008) suggests an even broader potential
for conservation and development benefits. The project supports the goals of the Convention on Biodiversity
(CBD) in facilitating conservation and sustainable use through protected areas and by improving their
coverage, representativeness and management. The value of protected area networks for conserving
freshwater cetaceans was highlighted at the First International Conference on Marine Mammal Protected
Areas (http://www.icmmpa.org; Mansur et al. 2009).
OBJECTIVES AND RESULTS
Please provide a brief description of objectives and estimate of funding required for each, as well as the overall
expected results.
FUNDING
OBJECTIVES
EXPECTED RESULT
REQUIRED
Achieve formal declaration by the Government
of Bangladesh of a protected area network for
Ganges and Irrawaddy dolphins within the
Eastern Sundarbans Reserved Forest.
US $80,000
Implement a science-based, communityinformed protected area management plan that
balances the needs of local human communities
with cetacean conservation in the Sundarbans
mangrove forest.
US
$220,000
Build capacity of national scientists, government
officials, and local communities in cetacean
conservation and fisheries management.
US
$124,000
A spatially-explicit, ecologically-defined,
and legally-mandated mechanism
established for protecting freshwater
dolphins and promoting the sustainable use
of aquatic resources in the Sundarbans
mangrove forest of Bangladesh.
Ganges and Irrawaddy dolphins effectively
protected in waterways of the Sundarbans
mangrove forest, thereby creating a global
safety net for two globally threatened,
iconic mammal species, and the well-being
of local communities improved.
A measurable increase in the competence
of local scientists and resource managers
to develop and implement effective
interventions in support of protected area
management, and in local awareness of the
conservation needs of freshwater
cetaceans and practical solutions for
ensuring the sustainability of local fisheries.
TOTAL FUNDIND NEEDED
TIMEFRAME
Please indicate the total amount of funding required
for this project.
US $424,000
Please indicate the estimated number of months or
years required to implement the project.
March 2010 - February 2012
FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
Please indicate counterpart funding, institutional commitment, and/or sustainable financing mechanisms that
will contribute to the project’s sustainability.
The financial sustainability of a protected area network for cetaceans is based in part on the integration of
nature tourism activities into conservation plans, which could provide funds and logistical support for
management activities (e.g., educational outreach, patrolling and enforcement) and community development
initiatives (e.g., training nature guides), and serve as a platform for monitoring cetacean populations and their
habitat. The proposed protected area network is located within the Eastern Sundarbans Reserved Forest,
with each site situated in close proximity to an existing Forest Department Station, thus providing an existing
infrastructure for management support.
INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT
Please indicate the partners to be involved in this project and their roles.
PARTNER
NAME
ROLE IN THIS PROJECT
Wildlife
Conservation
Society
(WCS)
WCS will provide technical and logistical
support for the establishment of the protected
area network. This will include (1) training and
mentoring of scientists, resource managers,
and volunteers from local communities for
implementing management interventions in
protected area sites, (2) conducting scientific
studies in support of protected area
management and developing pro-active
strategies for coping with the ecological
impacts of declining freshwater supplies and
sea-level rise, (3) providing expertise to
strengthen existing educational outreach
efforts on cetacean conservation and the links
to sustainable fisheries, (4) providing logistical
support for management interventions, and
(5) facilitating cooperation between the Forest
and Fisheries Departments and nature
tourism operators for monitoring cetacean
populations and their habitat.
Forest
Department,
Bangladesh,
under the
Ministry of
Environment
and Forests
The Forest Department (FD), Ministry of
Environment and Forests, is the competent
legal authority for the designation and
management of protected areas in
Bangladesh. The FD will (1) provide the
government leadership for establishment of
the protected area network, (2) coordinate
with the Fisheries Department for developing
and implementing policies for sustainable
fisheries and protecting cetaceans from
injurious interactions with fishing gear, and (3)
implement management interventions in
protected area sites and adjacent waters to
conserve cetaceans and improve the lives of
fishing communities who depend on fishery
resources in these waters.
CONTACT PERSON
NAME, TITLE,
TELEPHONE,
EMAIL
Brian D. Smith
Director
Asian
Freshwater and
Coastal
Cetacean
Program, WCS
Tel:
66-76-388144
E-mail:
bsmith@wcs.org
URL &/OR OTHER INFO
ABOUT THE INSTITUTION
With more than 100 years
of experience and longterm commitments in
more than 60 nations, the
Wildlife Conservation
Society (www.wcs.org)
has the biological
knowledge, cultural
understanding, and
partnerships to ensure
that wild places and
wildlife thrive alongside
local communities. WCS
works with local
communities and
organizations to address
species, habitat, and
ecosystem management
issues critical to
improving the livelihoods
of people dependent on
those natural resources.
Ishtiaq Uddin
Ahmad, Deputy
Chief
Conservator of
Forests, Forest
Department,
Ministry of
Environment
and Forests,
Bangladesh
e-mail:
iuahmad@gmail
.com
PARTICIPATION AND EQUITY
Please indicate if/how this project will contribute to the full and effective participation, as well as equitable
sharing of costs and benefits, with indigenous and local communities.
A strong emphasis on capacity building will create the competence within partner organizations and
institutions required for conducting conservation science and educational outreach activities in support of
aquatic resource management. Sustainable development in local communities adjacent to the protected area
sites will be promoted by the potential enhancement of fisheries in surrounding waters of the proposed
protected area network. This project will provide fundamental insights on the nature and magnitude of
ecological effects of global climate change in the Sundarbans. This will in turn serve as a basis for developing
adaptive management responses that connect the well-being and welfare of fishermen and freshwater
cetaceans to the development of sustainable management strategies for local fisheries. The involvement of
women in all aspects of the project, including key roles in conducting research and educational outreach
activities, and consideration of their needs in local communities will ensure gender equity.
ECOSYSTEM GOODS, SERVICES AND LIVELIHOODS
Please indicate the extent to which ecosystem goods and services will be secured, and livelihoods will be
improved, as a result of this project.
ECOSYSTEM GOODS AND SERVICES PROVIDED
0 1 2 3
Carbon sequestration (1)
Storm barriers, flood control and protection against sea level rise (2)
Freshwater security (2)
Food security (2)
Regulating spread of diseases (2)
Cultural and spiritual access (2)
Income generation from tourism (3)
Income generation from sustainable resource harvesting (3)
Insert another ecosystem good, and service or livelihood aspect here
1: Contributes to climate change mitigation
2: Contributes to climate change adaptation
3. Contributes to sustainable income generation
4
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If carbon sequestration is checked, please indicate any existing information about carbon or carbon equivalent
values existing in this area and how this project will ensure its storage. If specific figures are currently available,
please include them here.
Optional: Please indicate any additional information to support these indicators and attach supporting
documents.
SECTION III: ADDITIONAL PROJECT INFORMATION
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CBD PROGRAMME OF WORK ON PROTECTED AREAS
Please indicate all the Programme of Work on Protected Area Goals that apply to this project.
ELEMENT 1:
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
ELEMENT 2:
2.1
2.2
ELEMENT 3:
3.1
3.2, 3.3
3.4
3.5
ELEMENT 4:
4.1, 4.2
4.3, 4.4
STRENGTHENING PROTECTED AREA SYSTEM AND SITES (click for more information)
National protected area network design and completion
Protected area connectivity and integration
Regional (transboundary) protected area network design & completion
Management planning
Threat abatement Regional
GOVERNANCE, PARTICIPATION, EQUITY AND BENEFIT SHARING (click for more information)
Equity and benefit sharing
Involvement of indigenous and local communities
ENABLING ACTIVITIES (click for more information)
Protected area policy improvement and integration
Professional capacity development
Sustainable financing
Public awareness
STANDARDS, ASSESSMENT AND MONITORING (click for more information)
Management Effectiveness assessment and adaptive management
Monitoring and research
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If goal 2.2 “Involvement of indigenous and local communities” is checked, please mention how this project will
contribute to a greater diversity of governance types in the projected area system.
Protected area sites will be co-managed by the Bangladesh Forest Department (FD) with local communities
(see below for community co-management experience of the FD in terrestrial protected areas). This type of
management will encourage direct participation of local communities in governance and will build
constituencies for dolphin conservation and the sustainable management of aquatic resources.
Optional: Please indicate any additional information and attach supporting documents.
NATIONAL PLANNING
Please indicate any linkages between this project and priorities identified through other national sustainable
development planning processes, including National Biodiversity Action Plans, national REDD strategies,
national climate adaptation planning, Poverty Reduction Planning (PRSPs), National Land-Use Planning, MDG
planning, etc.
This project strengthens efforts of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Program for creating
conditions to reduce poverty, develop sustainable livelihoods, and integrate coastal zone considerations into
national planning. The ICZM is a multi-ministerial and multi-sectoral arrangement led by the Ministry of Water
Resources (MoWR) and the Water Resources Planning Organization (WARPO). Furthermore, the project is
integrated into the vision of the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP, 2008) and
the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) to reduce poverty and achieve economic and social
well-being within the context of climate related changes to the natural environment. The proposed activities of
this project provide an ideal platform for integrating key protected area, biodiversity conservation, and
sustainable use goals, as established by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) of which Bangladesh
is an active member, into human development and climate change mitigation of the ICZN, BCCSAP, and
NAPA. The project follows on the successful integration by the Bangladesh Forest Department of protected
area, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable use goals of the CBD PoWPA under the auspices of
Nishorgo, a community co-management program for terrestrial protected areas in Lawachara, RemaKalenga, Satchari, Sitakund, Chunati and Teknaf. Policies will be developed in close collaboration with the
United Nations Development Program (UNDP) / Department of Environment (DoE) Coastal and Wetland
Biodiversity Management Project.
ATTACHMENTS
Please indicate the file names of any documents attached to this statement of interest.
Fahrni et al. 2008; Mansur et al. 2009; Smith et al. 2006; Smith et al 2008; Smith et al. 2009, Smith et al. in
press.