Causes, impacts and possible remedial strategies of sal forest encroachment in Madhupur national park range

The study was conducted in Madhupur Sal Forest (National Park range) areas during March to May 2010 to know the present situations and factors affecting the encroachment process of Sal forest. Data were collected from 100 respondents by using questionnaire. The study revealed that majority of the respondents belongs to moderate aged and illiterate. Most of the respondents in the study area are related with agriculture (48%). The economic status of the respondents are not well as the annual income of majority peoples (54%) possessed as the below of Tk. 75000. Family size of the respondents lied below 4 (65%). Majority respondent opinioned that the present plant density amounted only 10-20% as compared its past history. The life cycles of tribal peoples are much closed with sal forest. Sixty one percent respondents opined that about 70% encroachment of sal forest is caused by muscle-man. The ordinary peoples are also some what responsible (5-10%) for sal forest encroachment. The sal forest is also encroached due to cultivated crops in sal forest area. Among the cultivated crops, maximum encroachment of sal forest is caused by banana (32%). A total of nine responsible causes were identified for sal forest encroachment. However, majority of the respondents opinioned that negligence of the forest department is the main cause for sal forest encroachment. This encroachment of sal forest can be minimized, if the government is conscious about sal forest. Creating alternate income source for sal forest community also may be regarded as most effective and meaningful approaches for sal forest protection. Anyway, Madhupur sal forest was dense and green but now the forest is under encroachment. So this initiative study will focus overall situations of sal forest community and concern authority so that forest encroachment is minimized and the forest get scope to become greener in gradual.