PAST MANAGEMENT HISTORY OF MANGROVE FORESTS OF SUNDARBANS

Abstract

Sundarban has a long history of management and conservation starting from Mauryan period (321-226 BC). During Gupta dynasty (320-415 AD) it was well managed. In Munhall period (1575-1765 AD) Sundarban was mainly managed for revenue generation.First survey of Sundarban was carried out by Britishers in between period 1769-1773. Britishers allowed clearance of forest until 1855 before the enactment of Forest Act. First management plan Sundarban was written in the year 1871 in which regulation on harvesting of Sundari (Heritiera fomes) was prescribed. Some part of Sundarban was declared as reserve forest in the year 1878.Initially forest of Sundarban was thought to be an inexhaustible resource but gradually thought it was not to be so. So different management plan recommended restriction and regulation on use of forest based resources. After 1878 different management plan was written before and after Independence of India with various recommendations for better management and protection of unique biodiversity of Sundarbans. Out of total area (10,260 sq km) approximately 40% area falls under India rest of the part belongs to Bangladesh after independence of India. Owing to global importance of Indian Sundarban it was declared as World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the year 1985 and Biosphere Reserve in the year 1989. Due to the presence of considerable tiger population Sundarban Tiger Reserve was declared in the year 1973 with an area 2585 sq km. At present Indian Sundarban has a Tiger Reserve, National Park (1330.10 sq km) within Tiger Reserve area, three Wild Life Sanctuaries and rest of the area belongs to reserve forest.