Workshop to make youth aware of biodiversity held in Khagrachari

To increase awareness among marginalized youth regarding the importance of conservation and biodiversity' a workshop was organised in Pittachhara area of Matiranga upazila in Khagrachari on 16 March. 

The Outreach, Extension, and Continuing Education (OECE) of the Pro-Vice Chancellor's Office of Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) in collaboration with the Environmental Science and Management Department and Green Planet Club of the university organised the workshop, reads a press release.

With support from the Pittachhara Forest and Biodiversity Conservation Initiative, a group of 30 students from Gomoti Birendra Kishore High School of Khagrachari participated in the workshop where the importance of biodiversity conservation was highlighted while focusing on the species richness of Pittachara. 

Pitthachhara is an ever-green forest patch established as the first privately protected area (PPA) in 2017, situated at the western corner of the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot and surrounded by degraded hilly landscapes dotted with abandoned oil palm plantations. 

Since acquiring the land, Mahfuz Russel worked relentlessly to restore its biodiversity. The area supports approximately 150 species of resident and migratory birds, globally endangered Slow Loris, vulnerable Pig-tailed Macaque, Porcupine, Yellow tortoise, 10 other mammal species, and a minimum of 20 species of herpetofauna. 

Under the chairmanship of Mahfuz Ahmed Russell, the assistant principal of Gomoti Birendra Kishore High School Md Rafiqul Islam moderated the programme. 

Also present were Matiranga Municipality Mayor Md Shamsul Haque, Matiranga Upazila Parishad Vice-Chairman Md Anisuzzaman Dalim, Upazila Thana Officer-in-Charge (investigation) Amzad Hossain 

In his speech Mahfuz Russel shared his incredible journey in the field of participatory conservation in a challenging and resource limited setting. 

A short interactive lecture on 'Ecosystem & its Importance in human lives' was delivered to acquaint the participants with a preliminary idea about how the ecosystem plays a crucial role in achieving human well-being. 

The lecture session was based on the importance of the ecosystem that was in the process of restoration in Pittachara. 

The workshop concluded with an opinion-sharing session between the facilitators and the participants where the participants identified the key learning takeaways. 

In the closing ceremony, Ekhtekharul Islam, Faculty Coordinator of the Green Planet Club, IUB also highlighted how the youths can advocate biodiversity conservation following the path of Pittachara Conservation Initiative. 

The workshop ended with a pledge to continue the effort towards biodiversity conservation and disseminate the learning outcomes to wider audiences.