Biodiversity Conservation

Biodiversity conservation is essential for maintaining ecosystem balance, protecting endangered species, and ensuring the long-term health and sustainability of natural resources. Arannayk Foundation has played a crucial role in biodiversity conservation in Bangladesh through comprehensive strategies that combine scientific research, habitat protection, and public awareness. The Foundation has conducted extensive biodiversity assessments in several protected and community managed forests, documenting over 493 plant species including 79 medicinal plants and more than 600 animal species, such as invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. These efforts have led to the first photographic documentation of rare species like the Particolored Flying Squirrel, Hog Badger, and Pallas’s Squirrel in Bangladesh. Arannayk has published several field guides and reference books that contribute to academic and policy-level biodiversity knowledge. It has also established conservation plots for 63 endangered native tree species at the University of Chittagong and facilitated their propagation through 27 private nurseries. The Foundation's initiatives under programs like the USAID-funded Protibesh and GREEN LIFE projects emphasize co-management and the conservation of key biodiversity areas, such as the Haor Basin and the Sundarbans. Furthermore, Arannayk has actively promoted biodiversity friendly practices in agriculture and homestead forestry, implemented community-based biodiversity monitoring, and supported the development of biodiversity databases and management plans for protected areas. These actions collectively underscore Arannayk Foundation’s leadership in preserving Bangladesh’s ecological heritage.