The New Nation - Internet Edition

-WP Reporter

A locally owned eco-cottage named 'Nishorgo Tarafhill Eco-Cottage' was inaugurated at the Rema Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary to encourage nature lovers to visit the pristine natural forest there.

Nishorgo Support Project (NSP) of the Forest Department is facilitating development of nature tourism services in the 5 pilot protected areas for the benefit of the local community. This will help to reduce dependency on the forest for the forest dwelling people. International experience strongly suggested the strong correlation between the eco-tourism and Protected Forest Area Conservation. Nishorgo Program received financial assistance from the USAID through its support project.

The NSP has initiated seven eco-cottages in the five protected forest areas and of them first one was inaugurated at Rema Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary by the Divisional Forest Officer Abdul Mabud, USAID's Environment Team Leader Dr Azhar Mazumdar, NSP's Communication Coordinator Mehrin A Mahbub and Co-management Committee Chairman Nurul Momin Chowdhury on November 30.

The local people were very enthusiastic and happy to see the eco-cottage running as they view it as a way to promote Rema Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary and a source of income for the locality. The co-management committee chairman announced that the he would take responsibility to ensure security to the tourists staying at the eco-cottage.

It has two bedrooms with modern attached bath and dining facilities. The other sites where similar eco-cottages were being made are at Lawachara National Park, Satchari National Park, Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary and Teknaf Game Reserve.

These eco-cottages were owned by the local people. The NSP provided technical support for building the eco-cottages. Hotel Water Garden Radisson as a good will gesture provided training on hygiene, house keeping and kitchen management to the Eco-cottage owners and managers.

The Eco-cottage owners will provide a fixed percentage of the profits to the Co-management Committee who would use it for PA conservation and local development.

The Nishorgo Tarafhill Eco Cottage is situated within the Rema Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary, an ideal location for those nature lovers who seek silence in pristine nature far away from the madding crowd.

Rema Kalenga is one of the largest tracts of the natural tropical forest remaining in the country. It is one of best site for bird watching. The eco-cottage will be the first ever place in Rema Kalenga where eco-tourists can stay there. Undoubtedly the nature lovers will be delighted to find such a place for their stay.