Sundarbans, Bangladesh - distant

• Sundarbans, Bangladesh:

  • occupying the worlds largest delta, extending over 10,000km2 of southern Bangladesh
  • dynamic equilibrium, material deposited by river allowing the growth of mangrove forests. Also, eroded by the sea, so the size of the sediment store is the same
  • home to rare plant and species e.g Royal Bengal tigers
• Coastal processes:

  • tidal action
  • dense well-developed interconnecting river channels flows across the clay and silt deposits
  • non-cohesive sediment like sand are washed out of the delta and deposited on banks at the river mouth, where strong monsoon winds then blow them into large sand dunes
  • vegetation established and natural succession occurs
• opportunities: - home to 4 million people

  Economic benefits: flat, fertile land ideal for growing crops e.g rice. Rich ecosystem of the mangrove forest provides local population with fish and palm leaves for roofs. Forest provide timber for construction and fires.

  Services: natural defence against flooding and absorbs excess rain in monsoon season. Protect area against coastal erosion

  Development: tourism, fishing, power plant providing energy and cargo ships transporting oil and food inland
• challenges:

  • lack of freshwater - used for agriculture
  • shrinking of mangrove due to growing population
  • salinisation in soils
  • dangerous animals
  • lack of employment and income
  • risk of rising sea levels - global warming
  • poor communication as 1/5 dont have access to electricity e.g dont receive flood warnings
  • access difficult
• resilience:

  • Increasing access to clean water and sanitation - improve health and quality of life
  • better roads and bridges
  • mains electricity being extended and subsided solar panels being made
  • decrease poverty and increase food security
  • fertility of soil and ecological diversity provide a plentiful supply for nutrition foods, one hectare of mangrove = $12,000
• mitigation:

  reducing severity of hazards

  • 3500km of embankments built to prevent flooding. However, they are gradually being eroded
  • protect existing mangrove forests and replant areas that have been removed
  • utilise a number of open access natural resources, including; government land, wetlands and fisheries and forests
  • investment in physical infrastructure (roads, telecommunication, schools, hospitals, cyclone shelters, food protection and tube wells) by NGO
• consequences:

  • shrinking of open access resources
  • degrading of eco-systems
  • corruption of local and national political institutions
  • conflicts over land ownerships
• Adaptation:

  • encourage farm owners to return to traditional techniques
  • education and training
  • raised cyclone shelters and houses on stilts
  • salt tolerant rice - cope with flooding and sea level rise
  • storage tanks for rainwater
  • ecotourism - remain undamaged
  • tourism - increase jobs and incomes
• opportunities:

  • eco-tourism
  • investment to improve communication
  • national and international designations