Forest Restoration

Forest restoration lies at the core of Arannayk Foundation’s mission. Since its inception, the Foundation has been a driving force behind Bangladesh’s efforts to restore degraded forest landscapes.

In 2009, Arannayk, in partnership with the Bangladesh Forest Department, launched the country’s first large-scale ecosystem restoration initiatives—years ahead of the global Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. These early projects focused on regenerating degraded forests in Sitakunda-Mirsarai, Banskhali, Inani, Dhamuirhat, and Singra Sal using Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANR), biodiversity monitoring, forest extraction control, and alternative livelihoods to reduce pressure on forest resources.

In the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Arannayk supported communities in restoring denuded Unclassed State Forests through skill-building, community mobilization, and planting native species, including bamboo. In Rowangchari, Bandarban, the Foundation applied the Restoration Opportunities Assessment Methodology (ROAM) to identify and restore priority sites—covering 350 hectares through ANR and another 650 hectares through sustainable resource management.

In the haor wetlands of Sunamganj, Arannayk restored 168 hectares of freshwater swamp forests and established 6.5 km of strip plantations with native Hijal and Koroch trees. Under the Climate Resilient Participatory Afforestation and Reforestation Project (CRPARP), the Foundation helped establish 17,500 hectares of block plantations and 2,000 km of strip plantations across 800 villages—directly benefiting 6,000 forest-dependent groups in 200 villages.

These community-supported, science-informed efforts have set a national benchmark for sustainable and inclusive forest restoration in Bangladesh.