WORLD’S NATURAL HERITAGE SUNDARBAN ENRICHES COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SUSTAINABILITY OF ECO-SYSTEM

Abstract

Heritage sites are contemplated as a nation’s pride, by virtue of their individuality and parameters. Immense tourist approaches favoring heritage sites, elevated heritage tourism and contrived an intrinsic network in the midst of the past with the present. Among innumerable heritage sites, Sundarbansis approved by UNESCO as a unique natural heritage of the world for its largest and most splendid mangrove forest, majestic land of Royal Bengal Tigers along with exotic flora and fauna. The biodiversity of flora and fauna of Sundarbans’Rhizophora mangleis situated over azone of ten thousand sq. kilometersinthe convergence area of major rivers of South Asia such as the Hooghly, the Ganges, Padma, Meghna, and Brahmaputra. Mangrove species community is dominated by trees like Heritiera (Sundari tree) and also includes species of Xylcarpus, Avicennia, Bruguiera, Rhizophora, Sonneratia, Aegicera, Cereops etc. Mangrove species can withstand high salinity of water and tidal waves, but sea-water rise instigating a slow death for endangered mangrove community, dis balancing the eco system of Sundarbans. Conserving this fragile ecosystem is a challenge due to flow of several cris-crossed rivers over this vast delta region. Government imposed strict conservationrules helps to sustain the Eco-system and enhances socio-cultural activities among local community. Again, strict conservation policies negatively affecting on entirely forest dependent local community towards extreme poverty. Positive scenario resonates with conversation of Sundarbans Forest are the formulation and broadening scope of alternative employment for local community. Increasing number of tourists, forest camps in protected areas(PA), boat rowing, mangrove tour, Bon Bibi Drama, selling local foods, Arti crafts, hiring local people in creation of eco-resorts constantly empowering and boosting up the economic growth of local community towards socio- cultural advancements. Though the progress is quite slow but

steadiness in process will able to stamp out local community’s forest dependency and also augment socio- cultural development.

Keywords: Heritage tourism, Socio-cultural, Local community, Sundarban, Ecosystem