%0 Journal Article
%T Status, Diversity, and Traditional Uses of Homestead Gardens in Northern Bangladesh: A Means of Sustainable Biodiversity Conservation
%A Bishwajit Roy
%A Md. Habibur Rahman
%A Most. Jannatul Fardusi
%J ISRN Biodiversity
%D 2013
%R 10.1155/2013/124103
%X A study was conducted to assess the status, ecological diversity, traditional uses, spatial arrangement, and importance of homestead garden for biodiversity conservation of the urban and rural households in Kishoreganj Sadar of northern Bangladesh. Assessment was done by means of multistage random sampling from a total of 80 households using a semistructured questionnaire. A total of 62 plant species belonging to 36 families including 5 threatened species were identified. The majority of the species were used as fruit and food (45%) followed by medicinal plants (38.71%), firewood (32.26%), and timber (29%). Ecological diversity indices indicated that the existing plant species in the homestead gardens in the study area have moderately high biodiversity and species richness. Farmers perceived importance for homestead plant species conservation was for fruit and food (85%) followed by building materials (78.75%), subsistence family income (73.75%), and source of firewood (68.75%). In addition, analysis of existing management regime indicates that growers lack scientific information, almost every household still follows traditional management systems. Finally, a specific homestead forest management plan, conservation of homestead species diversity through scientific management and obtaining training and support from government and NGOs, was found highly demandable by this study. 1. Introduction Homestead garden is a traditional agroforestry system and an important component in the livelihoods of rural poor, and in the rural economy of the country. During the last 40¨C50 years, the relative importance has shifted from the traditional forestry to homestead forestry; in such a situation, homestead garden plays a vital role in providing firewood, fodder, medicine, fruit, and timber. It is estimated that about 70% of timber, 90% of firewood, 48% of sawn and veneer logs, and almost 90% of bamboo requirements are met from homestead forests [1]. In Bangladesh, homestead gardens represent a well-established traditional land-use system where natural forest cover is less than 10 percent; homestead gardens, which are maintained by at least 20 million households, represent one possible strategy for biodiversity conservation [2, 3]. The management of the traditional homestead garden has evolved as a response to many factors: cultural, economic and, environmental as well as personal preferences [4]. The conservation of cultivated plants in homestead gardens of Bangladesh not only preserves a vital resource for humankind but plays an important role in household food
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn.biodiversity/2013/124103/