Environment
Environment is one of the core theme of Taungya
Environmental conservation is at the heart of Taungya’s mission in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The organization works to protect biodiversity, safeguard watersheds, and promote sustainable natural resource management through community-led initiatives. Village Common Forests (VCFs) are central to this approach, where Indigenous knowledge, customary laws, and cultural practices guide conservation systems. Taungya integrates traditional ecological wisdom with modern tools such as mapping, training, and advocacy to strengthen resilience against deforestation, pollution, and climate change. By engaging communities, youth, and local institutions, Taungya ensures that environmental protection is not only about preserving nature but also about sustaining livelihoods, cultural integrity, and long-term development in the CHT.
Taungya-CFLI Project
Taungya is implementing the **Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) Project** titled *“Empowering Young Leaders for Sustainable Management of Traditional Village Common Forests and Ecology.”* The project works across **22 Village Common Forests (VCFs)** in Bilaichari and Kaptai upazilas of Rangamati Hill District. Its goal is to strengthen vulnerable forest management systems by updating bi-laws and conservation guidelines, while promoting sustainable practices rooted in Indigenous knowledge. Key activities include developing resource maps and conservation action plans, training community youth groups to support VCF management committees, and nurturing young leadership for long-term ecological stewardship. The project also integrates watershed protection through GPS mapping, streamside plantation, and cultural practices that reinforce social cohesion. By combining traditional conservation systems with modern tools, the CFLI Project enhances biodiversity protection, empowers Indigenous youth, and ensures resilient community-led forest governance in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
IPAF 5th Cycle
Taungya implemented the **Indigenous Peoples Assistance Facility (IPAF) 5th Cycle Project** titled *“Develop Role Model of Hill Water Resource and Natural Forests Conservation of Ethnic Communities through Youth Engagement.”* The project was carried out in Rangamati Sadar and Bilaichari upazilas, focusing on strengthening community-led natural resource management. The initiative supported Village Common Forest (VCF) Management Committees and Project Development Committees to become strong custodians of forests and watersheds. It promoted eco-tourism at selected sites, conducted studies and GPS mapping of watershed systems, and identified best and worst practices of conservation among Indigenous communities. A central feature of the project was youth engagement—training young people in sustainable conservation, sensitization, and eco-tourism guide development to enhance their income-generating activities. By integrating gender awareness and supporting traditional leaders, the IPAF Project reinforced Indigenous conservation systems while empowering youth to take leadership roles in protecting biodiversity and water resources. This approach created community role models for sustainable forest and watershed management, ensuring long-term resilience in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.