Sundarbans

• Physical geography of the Sundarbans:

  • Made from deposition from rivers and sea
  • Most is only 1m above sea level
  • Flat land
  • Covered in mangroves
  • Interlaced with streams
  • River delta
• Mangrove forest in Southern Bangladesh.

  Tigers endangered - protected tigers = protected forest
• Mangroves:

  • Salt water
  • Absorbs impact of storm waves
  • Breeding grounds for fish
• Cyclone Nargis: 27 April - 3 May 2008

  138,373 fatalities due to lack of warning
• Resilience:

  • Honey gatherers
  • Nypa palm leaf
  • Firewood gatherers
  • Common land
• Honey gatherers: risk of corruption - bandits will abduct workers for ransom if not protected by forest department
• Nypa palm leaf: versatile material - has to bribe forest officers for permits
• Firewood gatherers: pray to God of forest (sustainable to honour God)
• Common land: not owned by anyone, but should be respected for God e.g. chop weaker trees
• 90% of energy absorbed by mangroves for destructive force of tsunamis
• Mitigation:

  • Cyclone shelter
  • Tube well
  • Micro-credit
• Cyclone shelter: raised to avoid storm surge, multi-use building
• Tube well: lid on well shut by pressure of water - protects fresh water
• Micro-credit: provide small loans to the poor to start a business or improve their living conditions - Muhammad Yunus: Grameen Bank, Nobel Peace Prize (2006): helped 5 women in business - have to pay back when they can, 42 people owed $27
• Adaptation:

  • Salt-tolerant rice
  • Water-tight containers
• Salt-tolerant rice: from USAID - able to survive 2 week submerged in salt water
• Water-tight containers: distributed from NGOs - store belongings and papers during floods
• Cyclones cause sea water to be pushed in land (leaves salt, affecting crop growth)