Bangladesh

20 Acres hectares

Biozid Climate Institute had the opportunity to meet with colleagues from the G20 Global Land Restoration initiative during the FfD4 conference in Sevilla. The organization expresseds Biozid Climate Institute's interest in involving their Islamic faith-based organization in land reforestation projects, aligning their environmental efforts with the principles of faith and stewardship. These changes affect soil quality, water availability, and the overall health of ecosystems, making restoration efforts more complex and resource-intensive. Additionally, engaging local communities and aligning traditional practices with sustainable land management strategies require ongoing dialogue and trust-building, which can be time-consuming.

34 acres hectares

The town, Habiganj Municipality, in Sylhet Division, northeastern Bangladesh is finding its value in ecological restoration and adoption proces to development. Although land restoration has not been an organized activity in Municipal affairs in the past, new projects have established a base on which faith-based and community-based restoration plans can be done in the future. As of now the Municipality along with the local mosques, temples and madrasas are working on petite scale of planting trees in areas open to the general population like graveyards, eidgahs, temple grounds and religious school campuses. The purpose of such efforts is to increase greenery, lower the rate of heat stres, and the level of environmental awarenes among citizens. Particular locations are the Shankarpasha Temple playing grounds, the Habiganj Eidgah Field and Municipal parks on the Kali Bari Road. Since Habiganj borders ecologically sensitive places like the Raghunandan Hills and wetlands such as Chunarughat Beel the organization is also interested in assisting in more global watershed restoration activities through the work of local faith organizations and NGOs. These regions experience severe ecological destruction the organization will work on the creation of a formal City plan regarding ecosystem restoration based on the National and Global goals. Their areas of concern include capacity building as well as acces to restoration tools and funding and learning other faith based initiatives around the world. With the help of this masterclas, the organization would develop the skills in technology and leadership necessary to scale up the land restoration activities on the religious and civic platforms of Habiganj. The major problems of the Habiganj Municipality in the field of sustainable land management and carrying out restoration programs. It is normal to infringe on religious and Government properties that it is hard to maintain and recuperate communal lands. It is also lacking coordination of planning of the Municipal departments, faith institution, and local communities. The situation is also made worse by climate issues like flash floods and soil erosion. These are hurdles involved in the efforts of the Municipality to carry out long-term, inclusive, and faith-based restoration processes.

5500 hectares hectares

The current engagement in land restoration by EcoRashid's faith organization is The Sundarbans Mangrove Restoration: Protecting the World's Largest Mangrove Forest. The Sundarbans (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) straddles India and Bangladesh. It is one of the largest mangrove forests in the world. This initiative primarily aimed at restoring the mangrove ecosystem. This also included enhancing tiger conservation, building resilience against sea-level rise and uplifting the livelihoods of associated local communities. The steps the organization took to accomplish their goal are:. Planting more Mangroves: The organization is replanting and protecting mangrove saplings to revive the areas health. Tiger and Biodiversity Conservation: The organization is protecting the Bengal tiger population and enhancing the habitat for various other wildlife species. Dealing with Climate Change: The organization is building new infrastructure to safeguard against rising sea levels and extreme weather events. Helping local communities: The organization is encouraging local residents to engage in sustainable jobs like fishing and crab farming. Their another activity is named Sacred Forest. In this activity, the organization has taken up the task of reforestation and conservation of biological diversity by planting micro forests (aka Sacred Forests) in Cox's Bazar and other states and reviving native forest species of the region. 303 micro forests comprising of 1,67,000 thriving wild trees have been planted in Sylhet, Dhaka, Khulna, Bandarban and Rangamati. So far more than 100 native, rare and endangered, wild forest species have been conserved as live seed banks in these forests. The list of species is well researched through forest surveys; verified and validated by renowned experts, and by referring to various research papers. These forests are made with 100% organic material and have more than 95% survival rate. They attract many native species of birds, insects and small creatures who feel secure enough to make them their habitat. Land is an essential entity to human well-being, similar to air and water, yet its capacity is finite. The pressure of influential faith leaders for faith communities to invest in long-term ecosystem restoration initiatives is relatively small compared to the pressure to invest in other sectors such as health care, education, etc. Restoration takes time because trees have a slow growth rate and extensive degradation takes time to restore. Droughts and prolonged dry spells affect the growth and survival of trees planted. There is political interference, red tape, and corruption. There is not much awarenes acros communities of the adverse effects of land degradation on their well-being and livelihoods, as well integrate the knowledge the organization collect collaboratively, and bring that knowledge to inform future planning for implementation for restoration. There have been very few capacity-building and strengthening programs developed through the restoration movement in Bangladesh for faith actors involved in restoration and as a result there is no sustained advocacy and awarenes of the impact of climate change and how to build adaptation and resilience.

Their organisation is based in Chattogram, Bangladesh. But land management and uses of lands lead misuse of wealth and harming their nature and ecosystems. It turns their lands unfruitful ways and destroying their agricultural lands and natural resources. So, on behalf of their people, the organization highly appreciated to work with people in faith inspired and holistic ways to care on land management and caring their natural environment. A large number of people in a small piece of land particularly in Bangladesh turn of their people in conflicts and worsening situations. So, it needs to train people in locally led transformation ways to use the best and developing land management in just and rightful ways.

Now Bangladesh agricultural research institute is involved in land restoration through aforestation, planting cover crop, establish new orchards etc. Without this establishing and developing irrigation facilities for existing plants and orchards, Planting lemon, pineapple crop to control soil erosion and land slide in Bangladesh agricultural research institute's research station situated in different hill districts as well as plain land of bangladesh. Land, biodeversities and environment. Land slides, flash floods, continuous rain during monsoon and unplanned housing, road build, industrialization etc.