Sundarbans

• Sundarbans


  Coastal zone occupying the world's largest delta
• 10,000km²


  Extent of coastline over of Southern Bangladesh and India on the bay of Bengal
• Delta formed from sediments deposited by


  the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna
• Natural climax ecosystems of the Sundarbans

  Mangrove forests and swamps
• Tidal action


  Primary natural process that shapes distinctive coastal landscape
• Dense well-developed network of interconnecting river channels


  Flows across the clay and silt deposits
• Traditionally location of the network of main channels remained relatively static


  Due to silts and clays being quite resistant to erosion
• Larger channels are generally straight and up to 2 or more km wide


  Flowing generally north to south due to strong tidal currents
• Extensive network of interconnecting smaller channels (khals)


  Drains the land with each powerful ebb tide
• Non-cohesive sediments like sand


  Washed out of the delta and deposited on banks or chars at the river mouths, where the strong south-westerly monsoon winds then blow them into large ranges of sand dunes
• With the protection of the dunes finer silts washed into the bay are deposited


  Where wave action then adds and shapes further deposits of sand to form new islands
• Vegetation establishes itself and eventually if the natural succession can proceed


  Dense mangrove forests can develop
• Unique coastal landscape where for millennia rivers have brought in rich sediment that

  Has created the diverse mangrove forests that have sustained local populations for generations
• Coastal flooding


  Can lead to salinisation of soil and make it hard to grow crops
• Low-lying land


  At risk from rising sea levels due to global warming
• Access is difficult


  Due to few, poor quality roads which limits opportunities for development and makes it harder to receive goods, healthcare and education
• Home to dangerous animals that attack humans


  Such as tigers, sharks and crocodiles
• Over-exploitations of coastal resources

  From vulnerable habitats
• Conversion of wetlands


  To intensive agriculture and settlements
• Use of fishing techniques

  That are destructive to the environment
• Lack of awareness of the environmental and economic importance of the region


  As growing population has led to a need for more fuel and agricultural land, so the mangrove forests are removed which increases the risk of flooding and coastal erosion
• Resource use conflicts


  lack of fresh water for drinking and irrigation in the area, due to fresh water being diverted from the rivers for irrigation or agricultural land further upstream
• Decision makers


  may have a lack of awareness of coastal issues
• There is a lack of employment


  and income opportunities
• Wealth of good and services


  Has allowed local populations to remain resilient to the challenges of this low lying coastal landscape
• Mangrove forests provide a high level of resilience as they provide significant protection and shelter against


  Storm winds, floods, tsunamis, coastal erosion
• A density of 30 trees per 0.01 hectares

  can reduce the destructive force of a tsunami by up to 90%
• Coastal communities of the Sundarbans

  said to be more resilient than other coastal communities elsewhere in Bangladesh
• Fertility of the soil and ecological diversity

  provides a plentiful supply of a large range of nutritious food
• The forests have an economic value


  even if used for fishing, gathering crustaceans, or timber and tannin production
• Just one hectare of mangrove forest is estimated to have an annual economic value of

  over $12,000
• The mangroves could provide


  resilience against poverty and opportunities for sustainable economic development in the future for people living there
• The Sundarbans could utilise a number of open access natural resources including


  khas land, wetlands and fisheries, forests