People’s Knowledge on Coastal Biodiversity Management

The paper presents the results of a research work on coastal people’s knowledge on biodiversity management in the context of the Coastal and Wetland Biodiversity Management Project (CWBMP). The study was undertaken in the Sonadia ECA (Ecologically Critical Area) of Cox’s Bazar district. Data were collected from 100 respondents of two groups of people – members of the Village Conservation Group (VCG) and the non-VCG members. A structured personal interview schedule was used in data collection during the months of March and April, 2008. People’s knowledge on coastal biodiversity management was measured by developing a knowledge test using the concept postulated by Bloom (1956) and revised by Anderson and Karthwohl (2001). Regarding all six levels of knowledge, the VCG-members possessed higher knowledge than the non-VCG members. Majority (74%) of the VCG members had medium knowledge while 26% of them possessed high knowledge on coastal biodiversity management issues. On the other hand, 74%, 24% and 2% of the non-VCG members possessed medium, low and high knowledge respectively. Out of eleven characteristics of the respondents, eight (age, education, training exposure, organizational participation, extension media exposure, cosmopoliteness, social participation and experience in biodiversity conservation activities) showed significant positive relationships with their knowledge. However, only age was negatively related, while family size, farm size and annual income did not show any significant relationships with people’s knowledge on biodiversity management issues.