Lawachara national park , Moulvibazar, 19 September 2006 (IUCN) –In the year 2003, the Forest Department of Bangladesh developed a new vision for management of Protected Areas and launched the Nishorgo Support Project to develop a ‘co-management model’ in collaboration with local stakeholders. The project is essentially premised on the fact that forest and its resources can only be conserved when local and national stakeholders join hands to conserve the country’s natural wealth. The project, spanning five protected areas as pilot sites encompasses a multitude of activities, targeted towards creating national awareness, education and opportunities to experience the idyllic beauty of the forests. 
 
As a part of the project sensitization activities, a number of journalists from various English and Bengali dailies were taken for a visit in two of the protected area sites of the project on 19th September 2006. The trip jointly organized by IUCN Bangladesh and Nishorgo Support Project was to demonstrate the activities to the journalists in and around Lawachara National Park and Satchari National Park. A small group of 5 journalists and 2 photo journalists made this exploratory tour that included a one – hour hike in the Lawachara National Park, visiting the interventions such as the information kiosk and interacting with the Tipra (local tribe) women undergoing weavers’ training at the Satchari National Park.

The Lawachara National Park managed by local stakeholders is a protected area under the Nishorgo Programme; set on an area of 1,250 hectares. It is a spectacular tropical forest hosting 160 species of plants, 246 species of birds and 30 other animal species. The major attraction of this park is the critically endangered Hoolock Gibbon, present only in three other Asian countries. Along with that the forest also harbors a variety of orchids, abundant during monsoon.

The journalists also made a trip to Dolubari, Muslimpara, where a focus group discussion was held with 20 community patrolling team members guarding the forest and its resources. The journalists noted a number of interesting findings on their perceptions and changes in livelihoods attributable to the Nishorgo Support Project activities.

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Notes to editors 

For more information or to set up interviews, please contact:

• Remeen Firoz , IUCN Bangladesh Assistant Programme Officer, Tel. +880 2 989 0395; Fax +880 2 989 2854;
  remeeniucnbd.org, Web: www.iucnbd.org
  
• Mahbubur Rahman Masum , IUCN Bangladesh Comminication Officer, Tel: +880 2 989 0395; Fax: +880 2 989 2854;
  masumiucnbd.org; Web: http://www.iucnbd.org/

Photos are available at http://www.iucnbd.org/photogallery.html

More information available at: http://www.iucnbd.org/

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