Sundarbans

Question 1

what is the Sundarbans the largest of?

Answer 1

the largest delta over 10,000km squared

Question 2

where is the Sundarbans?

Answer 2

southern Bangladesh and India on the bay of Bengal

Question 3

what three rivers is the delta formed from?

Answer 3

The Ganges
Brahmaputra
Meghna

Question 4

what is the Sundarbans natural climax?

Answer 4

mangrove forests and swamps

Question 5

how much are the mangrove forests worth?

Answer 5

$12,000/hectare

Question 6

what do the mangrove forests provide?

Answer 6

shelter against storm winds, floods, tsunamis and erosion as they absorb energy

Question 7

what was planted in 2015?

Answer 7

50,000 mangrove samplings

Question 8

state for how much protection mangroves give

Answer 8

30 trees per 0.01 hectares = 90% less destruction from tsunamis

Question 9

what crops do they grow?

Answer 9

lots of rice crops as they are water tolerant and salt tolerant

Question 10

what is used to store water and food?

Answer 10

water tight containers as it keeps water clean

Question 11

what do NGO’s provide in the Sundarbans?

Answer 11

education and training for natural disasters

Question 12

what have people of the Sundarbans lived through?

Answer 12

4 cyclones in the last 15 years

Question 13

what do people of the Sundarbans work with rather than against?

Answer 13

work with tigers instead of against them

Question 14

what is a benefit of the soil?

Answer 14

very resilient and promotes a wide range of nutritious foods

Question 15

what do grassroots NGO’s do?

Answer 15

run education programs to promote more ecologically friendly farming

Question 16

what did USAID do?

Answer 16

trained communities to become more resilient to future climate shocks

Question 17

what was good about cyclone shelters built?

Answer 17

they were multipurpose with communication equipment
e.g. schools

Question 18

how many shelters were built between 2011 and 2015?

Answer 18

100

Question 19

what is grown as a crop on the Sundarbans?

Answer 19

new salt tolerant rice varieties that can survive being submerged for over two weeks

Question 20

what keeps rainwater away from salt?

Answer 20

big water tanks provide fresh clean water

Question 21

what does the mangrove forest provide?

Answer 21

• construction materials
• food and drink
• fishing materials
• protection
• provision
• value

Question 22

natural challenges to the Sundarbans?

Answer 22

• coastal flooding
• cyclones
• high levels of salinity in water
• inability of islands
• accessibility and remoteness
• human eating tigers

Question 23

human challenges to the Sundarbans?

Answer 23

• over exploitation of coastal resources from vulnerable resources
• conversion of wetlands to intense agricultural and settlements
• destructive fishing techniques
• lack of awareness economic and environmental
• lack of awareness of coastal issues