1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Chittagong
Region
Asia
Native title of the NBS intervention
উপকূলীয় বনায়ন
Short description of the intervention
Bangladesh Forest Department (BFD), as a part of its annual development programme, has been leading the coastal afforestation programme to stabilize Bangladesh’s coastline and create green belt. In order to establish mangrove forests in coastal areas, specifically chars in the southern coastal zone, the Forest Department undertook an afforestation project in the new deltas developed in the Bay. Afforestation is being used in vulnerable coastal areas, where the initiative brought mangrove species to the region in order to act as shelters for the exposed coastal communities subject to powerful cyclones, tidal surges, coastal erosion, and other disasters. In terms of the severity of the effects of climate change, Bangladesh is at the forefront, especially for coastal populations, as their livelihoods are wrecked by storms. Nature-based Solutions (NBS) are emerging as significant instruments for coping with climate change, while traditional methods of prevention, such as hard flood defence, have proven to be impractical and unsustainable. Additionally, the project includes greening of the whole coastal regions including creation of strip gardens and home gardens to improve the biodiversity of the area and to stabilize the newly found land. Furthermore, the coastal afforestation project will also help to develop newly accreted land of an island (char) in the Bay of Bengal, which is being included with Bangladesh's mainland from 2021. [Ref 1,3,4,6]
Address

Chittagong - 4000
Bangladesh

Location
The NBS is situated in an area, with clear delineation of boundaries and a specific shape (polygon). The NBS project can also have more than one area location (more than one polygon, situated close by).
Area boundary
POINT (91.87874466402 22.04824266531)
POINT (91.88075746042 22.04107865255)
POINT (91.883805387517 22.036492795711)
POINT (91.880978324703 22.043617187975)
POINT (91.879564793296 22.046687936093)
NBS area image
Source of NBS area image
Google Map. URL:https://www.google.com/maps/search/হালিয়া+পাড়া+সমুদ্র+সৈকত+plantation,+jaliapara/@22.0416767,91.8517125,10403m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1 Accessed on 20 January, 2023.
Total area
81470000.00m²
NBS area
81470000.00m²
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Other
Please specify “other type of area” before implementation of the NBS
New Char land in coastline [1,2]
Website of the intervention
https://www.tbsnews.net/environment/afforestation-project-taken-even-new-land-r…
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
unknown
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2018
End date of the intervention
ongoing
Present stage of the intervention
Ongoing
Please specify "other" stage of the intervention
If new chars arise, the project deadline will have to be extended [1]
Goals of the intervention
1. Accelerating accretion and stabilizing newly accreted char land;
2. Increasing green vegetation coverage as a protective shelter belt against cyclones and tidal surges as an adaptive measure against adverse effects of climate change;
3. Increase the carbon sink capacity of the mangrove forest to help mitigation of climate change impacts;
4. Enhancing the biodiversity of marine flora and fauna through the development of habitats and breeding facilities
5. Creating mangrove forests on 25,000 hectares of newly risen chars in the southern coastal belt. [Ref 1, 2]
Quantitative targets
Creating 25000 ha of mangrove forest;
Planting a diversity of 4444 tree species per ha
Creating 1,000 strip gardens
Creating plant gardens in 40,000 residential blocks [Ref 1, 2]
Monitoring indicators defined
1. Land area in the coastal zone before and after project implementation
2. Amount of tree cover in coastal areas before and after project implementation
3. Intensification and trend rate of disasters caused by climate change
4. Increase in number and species variety of marine flora and fauna [Ref 2]
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
Climate change adaptation
Climate change mitigation
Coastal resilience and marine protection (SDG 14)
Coastal protection / hazard mitigation
Marine and coastal biodiversity protection
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Habitat and biodiversity conservation
Green space creation and/or management
Water management (SDG 6)
Flood protection
Climate change adaptation: What were the goals of the NBS?
Reduce exposure to climate risks directly
Reduce the impacts of climate risks events on urban places and communities
Climate change adaptation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
Protect coastal and freshwater ecosystems to prevent coastal erosion and pollution
Restore wetlands and/or coastal ecosystems to dissipate the effects of flooding and/or storms
Climate change mitigation: What were the goals of the NBS?
Sequester and store carbon
Climate change mitigation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
Implement sustainable forest management measures to increase carbon sinks/ improve carbon storage
Improve carbon sequestration through selection of more adaptable species
Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What types of conservation goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?
Species-focused
Ecosystem-focused
Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
Protect and enhance urban habitats
Create new habitats
Protect species
Undertake specific measures to protect species
Undertake specific measures to protect native species
Means for conservation governance
Public engagement
What types of restoration goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?
Ecosystem-focused
What activities are implemented to realize the restoration goals and targets?
Restore ecological connectivity
Implementation activities
The project has been implemented in the coastal belts of 67 upazilas under nine districts - Potuakhali, Barguna, Pirojpur, Bhola, Noakhali, Laksmipur, Feni, Chattogram and Cox's Bazar. So far, 8,147 hectares of land have come under the project. The implementation activities were performed in three ways. a) Mangrove plantation, b) Strip garden creation and c) Home garden creation. Mangrove trees such as Keora, Bain, Kakra and Geowa per hectare are being planted in the project area. In Patuakhali, Bhola, Noakhali, and Chittagong districts, 311080 trees, 8888 trees, 1776000 trees, and 44440 trees have been planted, respectively. 4,444 mangrove plants are being planted per hectare area. The distance between two saplings is maintained at 1.5 meters for optimal growth. For strip gardening, seedlings are being planted on the side of roads, highways, alleys, streets, driveways and railroads. In every kilometre, 1000 seedlings are being planted. So far, 747 kilometres of strip gardens have been created. Apart from this, the project targeted creating 40,000 gardens on residential blocks in the coastal area while such gardens have been created in 21,514 houses. [Ref 1, 2]
Type of NBS project
Creation of new green areas
Coastal landscape management or protection
Protection of natural ecosystems
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Blue infrastructure
Coastlines
Coastal wetland, mangroves and salt marshes
Grey infrastructure featuring greens
Alley or street trees and other street vegetation
Railroad bank and track greens
House gardens
Vegetation Type
Trees
Garden beds
Please specify how many trees were planted
1.7 million seedlings were planted [Ref 2]
Amenities offered by the NBS
Unknown
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Regulating services
Coastal protection
Carbon storage/sequestration
Habitat and supporting services
Habitats for species
Scale
Spatial scale
Meso-scale: Regional, metropolitan and urban level
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Citizens or community groups
Marginalized groups
Marginalized groups
Socio-economically disadvantaged populations (e.g. low-income households, unemployed)
Governance
Governance arrangements
Government-led
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
The project included several governmental actors, including the department of Agency-Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, the Implementing Agency-Forest Department, and the Planning agency-Department of Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Institutions.
Specific roles include:
Muhammed Abul Faysal- Team Leader;
Dr. Md. Kawsar Hossen-Biodiversity Specialist;
Dr. Mofajjol Hossain- Climate Specialist;
Md. Hafijur Rahman-Statistician;
Md. Ashraful Awal-Co-ordinator;
S. M Hamidul Haque-Director general;
Md. Mahbubur Rahman-Director;
Md. Ajgar Ali- Assistant Director [Ref 2]
Key actors - initiating organization
National government
Local government/municipality
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
National government
Local government/municipality
Citizens or community group
Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used
Taskforce groups
Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
Co-management/Joint management
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to an Regional Directive/Strategy
No
NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan
Yes
Please specify the national regulations/strategy/plan
The sources do not mention specifically that the action has been implemented in response to a national strategy however they discuss several important environmental national plans. One of them is the Seventh Five-year plan that set a target of 30,000 hectares of coastal afforestation between 2016 and 2020 and also suggests creating a 500-meter-wide permanent coastal green belt. It is also mentioned that the action is in line with the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan-BCCSAP (2009-2018). The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP 2016−2021) was also mentioned. NBSAP has a target on forestry towards biodiversity conversation and this is aligned with SDG Target 15.2 which promotes the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests and substantially increases afforestation and reforestation globally. [Ref 2, 6]
NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan
Unknown
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Unknown
Enablers
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Please specify
Mangrove Plantation [2]
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
If there is a relevant strategy or plan, please specify the theme / type of the plan.
Other
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
The sources don't mention specifically a regional partnership in connection to the project, however the Department of Forest (DoF) has been implementing the project in the coastal belts of 67 upazilas under nine districts - Potuakhali, Barguna, Pirojpur, Bhola, Noakhali, Laksmipur, Feni, Chattogram and Cox's Bazar [Ref 5]. This information is not conclusive in order to properly establish that the project was based on a regional partnership however it is important to mention it.
Presence of GI / NBS research project - mentioned in connection to the project
No
Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project
No
Co-finance for NBS
Unknown
Co-financing governance arrangements
Unknown
Was this co-governance arrangement already in place, or was it set up specifically for this NBS?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
More than €4,000,000
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
Unknown
What are the total amount of expected annual maintenance costs?
Unknown
What is the expected annual maintenance costs of the NBS or GI elements?
Unknown
Please specify cost savings
Unknown
Please specify total cost (EUR)
93322583,33€ (1 Bangladeshi Taka=0.010 Euro) [Ref 1]
Source(s) of funding
Public national budget
Type of fund(s) used
Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
Yes
Type of non-financial contribution
Provision of labour
Provision of expertise
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Business models
Risk reduction model
Green densification model
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Public actor (e.g. municipality)
Type of innovation
Technological
Infrastructural innovation
Social
Governance innovation
Please specify technological innovation
The project has taken plantation as a measure to protect the newly formed coastline. As a part of it the project is taking three types of infrastructural innovations, a) coastline protection with plantations, b) strip garden creation near the coast area to stabilize the land and c) home garden creation. [ Ref 2]
Please specify social innovation
References mention that coastal reforestation with community participation and ownership continues to be a big challenge however is seen as innovative mostly because Bangladesh has been experimenting with co-management forestry over the last decades. The current project falls under this co-management and governance of forestry. [Ref 6]
Novelty level of the innovation
The innovation is copied/derived from previous initiative(s) with substantial adaptation
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
The Department of Forest (DoF) has been implementing the project in the coastal belts of 67 upazilas under nine districts - Potuakhali, Barguna, Pirojpur, Bhola, Noakhali, Laksmipur, Feni, Chattogram and Cox's Bazar. [Ref 5]
Replicability/Transferability
Unknown
Impacts, benefits
Environmental impacts
Climate change
Enhanced carbon sequestration
Environmental quality
Improved protection against strong wind
Water management and blue areas
Increased protection against flooding
Green space and habitat
Increased green space area
Increased number of species present
Description of environmental benefits
Enhanced carbon sequestration: Evaluation reports are not available online at this time, however, a mid-term report was issued in 2020 and this is comprised in reference no. 2. Partial results show that approx. 25,000 hectares of mangrove forests have been planted [Ref 5]. Mangroves are considered one of the most effective species of trees in the sequestration of carbon. It is estimated that the carbon sink capacity of mangroves is 3 times higher than that of local species 97.6 tons/hectare vs 29.5 tons/hectare [Ref 4].
Improved protection against the strong wind: It is expected that the coastal afforestation will increase protection against strong winds. The mangroves were expected to create a green belt against cyclones and tidal surges as adaptive measures against the adverse effects of climate change [Ref 5].
Increased protection against flooding and Enhanced protection: After the full growth of the mangrove plants, it is expected to reduce the flooding related to any storms and coastal surges and is expected to provide a hard flood defence [Ref 2, 3].
Increased green space area: The project has created approx. 25,000 hectares of mangrove forests which have increased the green space area of the region [Ref 5]. In Patuakhali, Bhola, Noakhali, and Chittagong districts, 311080 trees, 8888 trees, 1776000 trees, and 44440 trees have been planted [Ref 1].
Increased number of species present: Sources mention several mangrove species that have been planted and they are Keora, Bain, Kakra and Geowa. Many of these species are native to South Asia, and besides their environmental benefits (preventing erosion and absorbing storm surge impacts) they also provide fruits for human consumption and improve the habitat for the many species present on the chars [Ref 5].
Economic impacts
Unknown
Description of economic benefits
Besides the enviornmental benefits, sources do not mention economic benefits.
Social and cultural impacts
Social justice and cohesion
Improved access to urban green space
Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
Safety
Improved community safety to climate-related hazards
Description of social and cultural benefits
Improved access to urban green space: The project when completed will create 40,000 home gardens, which will improve access to urban green space for the locals [Ref 2].
Increased involvement in the management of green spaces: The mid-term report dating 2020 mentions that the mangroves have been implemented as part of a co-management, consultation scheme where locals have been involved in assessing the areas where forests will be planted. These consultations stay at the base of seedlings' survival as in many cases proper information and knowledge of the solutions implemented make a difference in the survival rate [Ref 2].
Improved community safety to climate-related hazards: The project provides strong protection to the communities from any future cyclones, other storms and flooding damages, which have been increased over the past few years [Ref 2, 4].
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts
Achieved impacts
Indicators
- Size of the area covered
- No. of trees planted
- Potential of blue carbon absorption for the mangrove species
- Survival rate of the planted seedlings
- Type of species planted [Ref 1, 4, 5]
Analysis of specific impact categories
Job creation: The NBS created ...
No information available
Environmental justice: The implementation of the NBS project resulted in ...
Improved access to green and/or blue spaces
Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?
No information was found regarding negative impacts of the project
COVID-19 pandemic
Reference no. 5 mentions that the project has been impacted by Covid in the sense that during the pandemic the project was interrupted. [Ref 5]
Methods of impact monitoring
Process of recording NBS impacts
Collection of monitoring data continuously throughout the project to aid evaluation
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Focus groups
GIS data analysis
Evidence for use of assessment
Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports
Yes
Link to monitoring/evaluation reports
https://imed.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/imed.portal.gov.bd/page/7b…
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No
Impact assessment mechanism
Name of any specific impact assessment tools
Unknown
Use of GIS in mapping impacts
Yes
Citizen involvement
Citizens involvement in assessment/evaluation
Yes
Mode(s) of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment
Focus Group
Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation
No
Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment
Unknown
References
Web links relevant to the intervention
https://www.nbsbangladesh.info/case_study/coastal-afforestation/
List of references
1. Saifuddin S. (2020). Afforestation project taken even before new land rises in Bay. The Business Standard. URL: https://www.tbsnews.net/environment/afforestation-project-taken-even-new-land-rises-bay-159865. Accessed on 23 January, 2023.
2. BFD. (2020). Afforestation in Coastal Region including the Newly Accreted Chars of Bay of Bengal. URL:https://imed.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/imed.portal.gov.bd/page/7b67fc61_3eef_4cb0_b798_00fe28fa13af/Bay_of_Bengal_compressed.pdf. Accessed on 23 January, 2023.
3. Haider. M. J. (2022). How mangrove afforestation can fight the adverse effects of climate change. the Business Standard. URL: https://www.tbsnews.net/thoughts/how-mangrove-afforestation-can-fight-adverse-effects-climate-change-505198. Accessed on 20 January, 2023.
4. UNCC. (n.d). Community-Based Adaptation to Climate Change through Coastal Afforestation (CBACC-CF) Project - Bangladesh. URL:https://unfccc.int/climate-action/momentum-for-change/activity-database/community-based-adaptation-to-climate-change-through-coastal-afforestation-cbacc-cf-project-in-bangladesh. Accessed on 20 January, 2023.
5. The daily observer(2021) Newly formed land in Bay to be mapped with mainland this year . URL:https://observerbd.com/news.php?id=335522. Accessed on 23 January, 2023.
6. NBS Bangladesh, Coastal afforestation, available at https://www.nbsbangladesh.info/case_study/coastal-afforestation/ Accessed 26 January, 2023
Attachments
Attachment Size
The file is from reference 2 (2.12 MB) 2.12 MB
Comments and notes
Additional insights
The total budget was 93322583,33€ (1 Bangladeshi Taka=0.010 Euro) for the total project. It is a large coastal afforestation project and the source financing from the public national budget. The mangrove plantation offers sustainable income production through the co-management of natural resources. For landless and female beneficiaries, communities are engaged in livelihood activities, income-generating opportunities, and long-term land ownership prospects. The main challenge was the degradation of forests due to natural disasters. [Ref 1, 2, 3, 5]
Public Images
Coastal Afforestation
Coastal Afforestation
Source: (Ref 5)
Coastal Afforestation
Coastal Afforestation
Source: (Ref 2)