Sharif A . Mukul | University of the Sunshine Coast (original) (raw)

Papers by Sharif A . Mukul

Journal of Applied Ecology

1. Forest restoration targets are often planned, implemented, measured and reported based on few ... more 1. Forest restoration targets are often planned, implemented, measured and reported based on few short-term lagging indicators (i.e. indicators of realised outcomes), such as the number of seedlings and area planted. 2. We propose the use of leading indicators, which denote likelihood of a certain outcome (e.g. odds that seedlings are of quality and properly planted) to complement lagging indicators and describe how this construct differs from the current practice and how they can be used in conjunction with available frameworks for forest restoration. 3. Leading indicators have great promise to complement lagging indicators because they address the near-term factors more likely to influence the progress and performance of restoration efforts. For example, secure land tenure (leading indicator) can increase the likelihood of long-term maintenance and protection (lagging indicator), and the use of best practices in quality seedling production (leading indicator) can increase survival rate (lagging indicator). 4. By observing near-term leading indicators, management can be adapted towards a goal. Long-term impacts cannot be verified in the early stages of forest restoration, hence claiming success within the length of project cycles is often unrealistic. Reporting on leading indicators can inform the likelihood that forest restoration goals will be achieved in the longer term. 5. Synthesis and applications. Leading indicators complement lagging indicators and can be used in forest restoration beyond monitoring and evaluation. Indicators can also be used in the design, adaptive management and reporting of restoration interventions. Leading indicators can be used to identify issues

Ecosystem Services, 2017

The establishment of protected areas (PAs) is a key strategy to conserve declining forests and bi... more The establishment of protected areas (PAs) is a key strategy to conserve declining forests and biodiversity worldwide. Due to poor infrastructure and a limited capacity of PA managers, most of the PAs in developing countries fail to achieve their management targets. In this paper, the potential to integrate ecosystem services (ES) into land-use planning was assessed in order to better manage PAs in tropical countries. Firstly, we mapped the relative capacity of different land-use/land cover (LULC) to supply ES in and around the Satchari National Park (SNP) located in northeast Bangladesh. Two alternative scenarios to envisage the likely future supply of ES in the area were then analysed. The study reveals a relatively higher supply of supporting ES from LULC located inside the park compared to the ES supplied from surrounding forests, tea gardens, and oil palm and rubber plantations. Provisioning ES were greater in surrounding forests than from SNP. Both regulating and cultural ES were also higher in LULC within the park. Spatially explicit ES supply assessment and mapping was found to be useful for land use planning and the prioritization of future management actions. Based on our findings, we suggest that PA managers should consider the ES framework as an effective tool for the future-oriented PAs management.

Summary Over the past few decades biodiversity has become the issue of global concern for its rap... more Summary Over the past few decades biodiversity has become the issue of global concern for its rapid reduction worldwide. Bangladesh is no exception. The country is exceptionally endowed with a vast variety of flora and fauna, but due to country's tremendous population pressure, rural poverty and unemployment it has been decreased alarmingly. Government has taken various initiatives to alter this

Journal of Mountain Science, 2016

Bangladesh, the world largest deltaic region, lies in the northeastern part of South Asia, betwee... more Bangladesh, the world largest deltaic region, lies in the northeastern part of South Asia, between 20°34'and 26°38' north latitude and 88°01' and 92°41' east longitude. The majority of the country's land was formed by river alluvium from the Ganges and the Brahmaputra and their ...

We investigated the effect of tree cover, forest patch and disturbances on tree species richness ... more We investigated the effect of tree cover, forest patch and disturbances on tree species richness in a highly diverse conservation area of northeast Bangladesh. A systematic sampling protocol was adopted and 80 sub-plots from twenty five 1 ha plots were used for the vegetation survey. Linear regression analysis was performed to understand the effect of patch area, disturbances and tree cover on tree species richness. Ordination using Redundancy analysis (RDA) and Non-metric Multi Dimensional Scaling (NMDS) were also performed to explore the tree species compositional similarities along the stand characteristics gradient and locations of the sample plots. Our study revealed that, forest patch size has greater influence on species richness. Areas with medium level of disturbances have shown greater species richness. In constrained ordination the selected explanatory variables regulated the richness of common species. Our ﬁndings can be useful for better forest management and restoratio...

Environmental Science & Policy, 2016

Shifting cultivation has been attributed to causing large-scale deforestation and forest degradat... more Shifting cultivation has been attributed to causing large-scale deforestation and forest degradation in tropical forest-agriculture frontiers. This view has been embedded in many policy documents in the tropics, although, there are conflicting views within the literature as to the impacts of shifting cultivation. In part, this may be due to the complex nature of this land use making generalizations challenging. Here we provided a systematic map of research conducted on shifting cultivation in tropics. We first developed a literature search protocol using ISI Web of Science that identified 401 documents which met the search criteria. The spatial and temporal distribution of research related to shifting cultivation was mapped according to research focus. We then conducted a meta-analysis of studies (n=73) that focused on forest dynamics following shifting cultivation. A bias in research on anthropology/human ecology was evident, with most research reported from the tropical Asia Pacific region (215 studies). Other key research foci were – soil nutrients and chemistry (72 studies), plant ecology (62 studies), agricultural production/management (57 studies), agroforestry (35 studies), geography/land-use transitions (26 studies). Our meta-analysis revealed a great variability in findings on selected forest and environmental parameters from the studies examined. Studies on ecology were mainly concentrated on plant diversity and successional development, while conservation biology related studies were focused on birds. Limited impacts of shifting cultivation on some soil essential nutrients were also apparent. Apart from the intensity of past usage site spatial attributes seems critical for the successful development of fallow landscapes to secondary forests. Further research is needed to help ascertain the environmental consequences of this traditional land-use on tropical forests. Scientists and policy makers also need to be cautious when making generalizations about the impacts of shifting cultivation and to the both the social and environmental context in which shifting cultivation is being undertaken.

International Forestry Review

Applied Geography, 2015

ABSTRACT The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) and Hoolock gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) are two global... more ABSTRACT The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) and Hoolock gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) are two globally endangered wildlife species limited to only tropical Asian forests. In Bangladesh both species are critically endangered and distributed mainly in the northeast and southeast hilly regions bordering neighboring India and Myanmar. Using existing distribution data, land-use/land cover, elevation and bio-climatic variables, we modeled the likely distribution of Asian elephant and Hoolock gibbon in Bangladesh for 2050 and 2070. We used the IPCC's Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) – RCP6.0 and RCP8.5 and Maximum Entropy algorithm for our modelling. Our study indicated that the Asian elephant will be more resilient to climate change compared with the Hoolock gibbon. Habitat loss for the Asian elephant is also expected to remain constant (i.e. 38%) throughout the period, whilst Hoolock gibbon habitat will be more sensitive to climatic variations, with the species predicted to be extirpated from the country by 2070. Being highly exposed to climate change with ever increasing land use pressures, we believe our study in Bangladesh can be used to enhance our understanding of future vulnerabilities of wildlife in a rapidly changing climate. A trans-boundary conservation program with greater attention to the species that are less resilient to climate change is also essential.

International Forestry Review, 2014

ABSTRACT Enforcement of the law is the most widely practiced strategy to prevent illegal logging ... more ABSTRACT Enforcement of the law is the most widely practiced strategy to prevent illegal logging in tropical developing countries, though the efficacy of such practice has often been questioned. We examined the effectiveness of forest law enforcement and different forms of economic incentives to curb the activities of illegal loggers. Thirty households, both with and without economic incentives, were interviewed in 2007 and 2009 in two protected areas of Bangladesh, namely the Lawachara National Park and the Satchari National Park. The enforcement of customary forest law appears to have very little ability to tackle illegal logging, whereas different alternative income-generating options designed to influence the livelihoods of illegal loggers are revealed to be very useful because such initiatives were found to have considerably reduced both the number of illegal loggers and the frequencies and amount of timber harvested illegally in both sites. Interestingly, illegal loggers responded most positively when they found themselves much closer to forests with clearly defined rights and responsibilities. Securing development of local forest users with tenure rights and greater access to alternative income-generating options, market regulation, and institutional and regulatory reform are critical to control illegal logging and to guarantee the sustainability of declining forest resources. Spanish La aplicación de la ley es la estrategia que más se practica para evitar la tala ilegal en los países tropicales en desarrollo, aunque a menudo se ha cuestionado la eficacia de esta práctica. Se examinó la efectividad de la aplicación de la legislación forestal y de las distintas modalidades de incentivos económicos con las que frenar las actividades de los madereros ilegales. Se entrevistaron treinta hogares, que recibían o no recibían incentivos económicos, durante 2007 y 2009 en dos áreas protegidas de Bangladesh, a saber, el Parque Nacional Lawachara y el Parque Nacional Satchari. La aplicación de la legislación forestal consuetudinaria pareció tener muy poca capacidad para frenar la tala ilegal, mientras que las diferentes alternativas de generación de ingresos diseñadas para influir en los medios de vida de los madereros ilegales mostraron ser muy útiles, ya que tales iniciativas redujeron considerablemente tanto el número de madereros ilegales como la frecuencia y el volumen de madera aprovechada ilegalmente en ambos sitios. Curiosamente, los madereros ilegales respondieron más positivamente cuando se encontraban mucho más cerca de bosques con derechos y responsabilidades claramente definidas. El asegurar el desarrollo de los usuarios locales de los bosques mediante derechos de tenencia y un mayor acceso a alternativas para la generación de ingresos, la regulación del mercado y la reforma institucional y normativa son fundamentales para el control de la tala ilegal y garantizar la sostenibilidad de unos recursos forestales cada vez más escasos. French Les efforts pour faire respecter la loi sont la stratégie la plus répandue pour empêcher la coupe de bois illégale dans les pays tropicaux et en voie de développement, bien que l&#39;efficacité de cette approche ait souvent été mise en question. Nous avons examiné l&#39;efficacité des efforts pour faire respecter la loi et différents formes d&#39;offres économiques pour parer aux activités des coupeurs de bois illégaux. Trente foyers, bénéficiaires ou non d&#39;offres économiques, ont été interviewés en 2007 et en 2009 dans deux zones protégées du Bengladesh: le parc national du Lawachara et le parc national du Satchari. Le respect forcé des lois de forêts en application semble être très peu capable de parer à la coupe de bois illégale, alors que des options génératrices de revenus alternatifs visant à faire un différence dans la vie des coupeurs illégaux se sont révélées être très utiles, ayant réussi à réduire considérablement le nombre des coupeurs de bois illégaux et la fréquence et la quantité de bois récolté illégalement dans les deux sites. Il est intéréssant de noter que ces travailleurs illégaux répondaient le plus positivement quand ils se retrouvaient proches des forêts dans lesquelles les droits et les responsabilités étaient le plus clairement définis. Assurer le développement des utilisateurs locaux de la forêt à l&#39;aide de droits d&#39;usage et d&#39;un accès plus ouvert à des options génératrices de revenus alternatives, la régulation du marché et des réformes instirutionnelles et régulatoires sont critiques pour contrôler la coupe de bois illégale et garantir la durabilité des ressources forestières déclinantes.

Journal of Forestry Research, 2013

International Journal of Biodiversity Science, Ecosystem Services & Management, 2013

Proceedings of the international conference ‘The Future of Forests in Asia and the Pacific: Outlook for 2020’, 2009

Journal of Applied Ecology

Ecosystem Services, 2017

Journal of Mountain Science, 2016

Environmental Science & Policy, 2016

International Forestry Review

Applied Geography, 2015

International Forestry Review, 2014

Journal of Forestry Research, 2013

International Journal of Biodiversity Science, Ecosystem Services & Management, 2013

Proceedings of the international conference ‘The Future of Forests in Asia and the Pacific: Outlook for 2020’, 2009

Achieving Sustainable Management of Tropical Forests, 2021

Globally, forests cover approximately 30% of the world’s land surface and are vital for meeting h... more Globally, forests cover approximately 30% of the world’s land surface and are vital for meeting human needs for food, fuelwood, timber, fodder and medicines. Forests are also critical in providing a wide range of environmental services, including biodiversity conservation, climate regulation, watershed protection and soil amelioration. Despite the enormous importance of forests in people’s lives and livelihoods, deforestation and forest degradation have increased globally, and at vastly higher rates than ever before. One of the major reasons for the failure of most forestry programmes in tropical developing countries is the exclusion of local people in forest management and poor recognition of local peoples’ customary rights and dependency on forests. Community-based forest management (CBFM), also known as community forestry, social forestry, joint forest management or participatory forestry, has emerged in response to the concern that centralised forest ownership in most developing countries has failed to promote sustainable forest management (SFM). Social, economic and environmental well-being are at the core of the SFM concept and principles. Despite the significant progress towards SFM over the past decades, its implementation is highly variable in the tropics where the capacity to utilise or enforce SFM policies, laws and regulations remains unequal. This chapter provides an overview of CBFM in the tropics. We first discuss the origins and evolution of CBFM, followed by governance issues relating to CBFM, the factors affecting the success (and failure) of CBFM, the design and implementation of CBFM, and CBFM in international forest policy and management.

Protected Areas: Policies, Management and Future Directions, 2017

Establishment of protected areas (PAs) is one of the key global conservation strategies that curr... more Establishment of protected areas (PAs) is one of the key global conservation strategies that currently cover approximately 15% of the earth’s land surface. Globally, PA networks are designed to curb the growing anthropogenic pressures in areas with high biological diversity. Despite the importance of PAs in conserving the vanishing biodiversity and unique habitats, many of them are in critical condition due to poor governance thus functioning below the expected level. Moreover, in many developing countries, the PA coverage is below the global standard. Recognizing their contemporary role in conservation, governments have recently agreed to expand the global PA coverage to 17% by the year 2020 (Aichi target 11). This book with eight chapters from different regions of the world provides an overview of the PAs governance, institutional mechanisms, conservation benefits, limitations and challenges associated with their respective policy discourse, integrated management, and functional attributes. Protected areas expect to play an important role in the long run in conservation and protection of biodiversity and ecosystems particularly in countries where population pressure and habitat loss are high. Regular intervention, political commitment, and effective governance are essential for the sustainability of PAs across the world. Here, we also attempted to shed some light on future development clues for the sustainable management and monitoring of PAs worldwide.governance thus functioning below the expected level. Moreover, in many developing countries, the PA coverage is below the global standard. Recognizing their contemporary role in conservation, governments have recently agreed to expand the global PA coverage to 17% by the year 2020 (Aichi target 11). This book with eight chapters from different regions of the world provides an overview of the PAs governance, institutional mechanisms, conservation benefits, limitations and challenges associated with their respective policy discourse, integrated management, and functional attributes. Protected areas expect to play an important role in the long run in conservation and protection of biodiversity and ecosystems particularly in countries where population pressure and habitat loss are high. Regular intervention, political commitment, and effective governance are essential for the sustainability of PAs across the world. Here, we also attempted to shed some light on future development clues for the sustainable management and monitoring of PAs worldwide.