New Forest & Biodiversity Conservation Initiative (PCI)

November 12, 2025

5 min read

New Forest & Biodiversity Conservation Initiative (PCI)

Since its inception in 2017, Pittachhara Trust has been officially recognized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as an Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measure (OECM) — one of the first in Bangladesh. OECMs achieve sustained, effective in-situ biodiversity conservation outside traditional protected networks, contributing to global biodiversity targets such as Aichi Target 11 and the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Pittachhara Trust serves as a model for community-driven, privately managed forest conservation.

The forest spans approximately 50 acres (≈20 hectares) of privately owned land in Khagrachari Hill District. It is embedded within the globally recognised Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot and remains one of the few well-vegetated, semi-evergreen hill forests in the region. Surveys have documented around 150 species of resident and migratory birds, including threatened taxa such as the Red-breasted Parakeet (Psittacula alexandri) and Cachar Bulbul (Hemixos flavala flavala). Key mammals include the Bengal Slow Loris (Nycticebus bengalensis), Northern Pig-tailed Macaque (Macaca leonina), and Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), all listed as Vulnerable or Endangered on the IUCN Red List. The forest also hosts at least 26 species of snakes and other 20 reptiles and amphibians.

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General•Nov 20, 2025

How One Man is Rescuing a Forest the Maps Forgot

General•Nov 12, 2025

Pittachhara Forest, the site supports approximately 150 species of resident

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General•Nov 6, 2025

Ever since Bengalis began moving into the Chattogram Hill Tracts

Ever since Bengalis began moving into the Chattogram Hill Tracts, the growing population has steadily thinned the region’s native forests. Against this backdrop, Mahfuz Ahmed Russel — a fashion buyer turned conservationist — and a group of friends took an extraordinary step: they purchased a patch of forest and built a sanctuary rich in biodiversity. Now, as they attempt to expand their conservation effort, they face mounting challenges. In Pittachhara, a village resisting the spread of monoculture plantations, this struggle is especially visible. The right side of the landscape still clings to natural forest, while the left side is dominated by commercial plantations. At the centre of it all stands Russel’s modest home, tucked inside the surviving greenery. When Russel shared his location via Google Maps, the screen showed virtually nothing. Even after waiting for the weak mobile network to load, the map revealed no roads, houses, or significant structures. The nearest motorable road ended nearly two kilometres away. Yet, once we trekked along a mud path and climbed the surrounding hillocks, we found a place far richer than the blank map suggested—rich not in human development, but in life. The biodiversity of this land, located in Matiranga upazila of Khagrachhari, sets it apart. While nearby hills are blanketed by monoculture plantations, this patch of forest thrives with native flora and fauna. Russel and his friends bought these 23 acres specifically for conservation, forming the Pittachhara Forest and Biodiversity Conservation Initiative. Beyond protecting their own forest, they work with nearby villagers to safeguard the scattered remaining fragments—about four square kilometres—encouraging communities to stop hunting and allow wildlife to recover. Their impact is noticeable: villagers say hunting has decreased. But lack of forest cover remains the biggest threat. As Russel explained, “Even if we stop hunting, where will wildlife go if there is no forest? Last dry season alone, more than 130 acres were cleared for teak and acacia plantations.” Despite the destruction around it, Pittachhara remains a refuge. Within just two short walks, we encountered a Bengal Slow Loris, multiple squirrel species, three types of snakes, a Pig-tailed Macaque, and numerous birds, including Jungle Fowl. Footprints of wild cats and smaller mammals hinted at the area’s hidden diversity. According to conservation biologist Sayam U. Chowdhury, Pittachhara’s well-vegetated landscape and active hill stream support around 150 species of resident and migratory birds, including the endemic Cachar Bulbul and the globally Near Threatened Red-breasted Parakeet. The area also shelters globally Endangered Slow Lorises, Vulnerable Pig-tailed Macaques, ten other mammals, and at least twenty species of amphibians and reptiles.

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