SD-8: Swamp Forest Restoration of 220 Hectares in the Surma-Kushiyara/Haor Region

Published by Ministry of Environment and Forests, Department of Environment. Procuring Entity: Project Director, Integrating Climate Change Adaptation into Sustainable Development Pathways of Bangladesh Project. For SD-8: 4.1 Inception, Site Selection, and Planning: • Conduct inception meeting with DoE, UNDP, Forest Department, Deputy Commissioner Sunamganj, Upazila Nirbahi Officers (Shalla & Dharmapasha), and local government representatives. • Carry out participatory GIS mapping and field validation to identify 220 hectares of government land, village common forest, community forest, and suitable swamp forest restoration sites. • Conduct ecological assessment with support from ecologist/botanist (can be engaged as short-term consultant) and local community elders to assess soil type, hydrology, erosion severity, and existing vegetation. • Identify erosion-prone faces of village mounds requiring greenbelt protection. • Develop detailed plantation plan including species mix, planting density, spacing, planting calendar aligned with monsoon season, and erosion protection techniques. • Submit Inception Report (including work plan, detailed activity schedule, budget breakdown, monitoring framework, and site maps) to Project Director (PD), DoE for approval. 4.2 Zoning, spatial planning and propagation plan: Composition of restoration will be differed by the type of the terrain such as low elevation, moderate elevation, high elevation of the landscape by type/ use such as village mound, kanda, dykes, growth centers, graveyard, riverbank, Canal Bank, daair (closed canal), gopat/ Jangal (pathway for cattle and carry grains), playground, crop processing area e.g., Khola, beel, doba, khal, etc. Composition of vegetation is different, which has been largely determined by the inundation period. Spatial planning considering the elevation/contour of the terrace, therefore, important, preparation of maps (GIS based map) and identifying the floral composition and accordingly plan for the restoration. Therefore, zoning is important, for example: Lower shallow-water edge: Nal, Hogla, Khagra and native sedges. • Middle wave-wash zone: Hijal or Koroch combined with suitable reeds. • Upper bank and slope: Vetiver and or Chailla planted in contour lines. • Crest: locally native shrubs and upper-fringe trees. • Submerged plants, semi-aquatic herbs, and small floating plants e.g., Shapla For propagation: Propagation and establishment of native wetland trees mainly for hizal and koroch and support through assisted natural regeneration (ANR) for reeds, grasses, and shrubs through seeds (seedling/ sapling), wildlings, rooted slips, tillers, rhizome division, stem cuttings, rooted clump division, rooted slips or tillers, layering (a branch is bent to the ground and partly covered with soil until roots develop. it is then separated from the parent plant), root suckers (naturally emerging shoots with roots are separated and transplanted), or other ecologically appropriate methods, including ANR (assisted natural regeneration), nursery development, site preparation, planting, protection, maintenance, casualty replacement, and survival monitoring. The zoning approach should follow “plant in patches rather than rigid rows”. A practical initial design is: • Tree clusters: variable spacing of approximately 3–5 meters, adjusted for species and natural recruits. • Mixed clusters: Hijal and Koroch as the main framework. • Open gaps: deliberately retain channels, mudflats, waterbird feeding areas and fish-access routes. 4.3 Purpose by type of species – examples are: • Hijal (Barringtonia acutangula): Low and moderately low land; seasonally deeply flooded; source of seedlings/saplings: nursery-raised seedlings, natural seedlings, limited direct sowing. Propagation through plantation. • Koroch/Karanja (Millettia pinnata (syn. Pongamia pinnata)): Low–middle flood zone, khal and beel margins. sources are wildlings, rhizomes, rooted clumps and stem cuttings, seedlings. Propagation through plantation. • Bon golap (Rosa involucrata): Wet thickets and upper swamp margins; source, rooted suckers or stem cuttings, ANR • Nal/Nol reed (Phragmites karka): Shallow-water belts, wave reduction, fish and bird habitat; source: rhizome pieces or rooted slips; ANR • Khagra (Saccharum spontaneum and locally identified related species): Exposed banks, newly deposited soil and upper shallow margins, source: rooted tillers or rhizome clumps, ANR • Ikor/Ekora (locally verified Saccharum/Erianthus complex): Seasonal wetland edge and wave-exposed margins, source: rhizome clumps or tillers, ANR • Emergent/semi-aquatic herbs: Kolmi (Ipomoea aquatica), Helencha (Enhydra fluctuans), Bishkatali (Persicaria/Polygonum spp.), native arrowheads (Sagittaria spp.), ANR • Rooted floating-leaved plants: Shapla (Nymphaea nouchali, N. pubescens), Padma (Nelumbo nucifera), Paniphal (Trapa spp.), ANR • Submerged plants and small floating plant