Rohingya Refugee Crisis and Forest Cover Change in Teknaf, Bangladesh

摘要: Following a targeted campaign of violence by Myanmar military, police, and local militias, more than half million Rohingya refugees have fled to neighboring Bangladesh since August 2017, joining thousands others living in overcrowded settlement camps Teknaf. To accommodate this mass influx refugees, forestland is razed build spontaneous settlements, resulting an enormous threat wildlife habitats, biodiversity, entire ecosystems the region. Although reports indicate that rapid vast expansion refugee Teknaf causing large scale environmental destruction degradation forestlands, no study date has quantified camp extent or forest cover loss. Using remotely sensed Sentinel-2A -2B imagery random (RF) machine learning algorithm with ground observation data, we territorial settlements ecological resources surrounding three largest concentrations camps—Kutupalong–Balukhali, Nayapara–Leda Unchiprang—that developed between pre- post-August 2017. Employing RF as image classification approach for cross-validation technique, obtained high overall accuracy 94.53% 95.14% 2016 2017 land maps, respectively, Kappa statistics 0.93 0.94. The producer user ranged 92.98–98.21% 96.49–92.98%, respectively. Results derived from thematic maps substantial sites, increase 175 1530 hectares net growth rate 774%. greatest observed Kutupalong–Balukhali site, growing 146 ha 1365 1219 (total 835%) same time period. While camps’ occupancy expanded at rate, gain mostly occurred replacing forested land, degrading 2283 ha. Such already triggered problems disturbed habitats area many these makeshift resettlement were set up near corridors wild elephants, death several Rohingyas elephant trampling. Hence, findings may motivate government international humanitarian organizations develop better plans protect ecologically sensitive camps, enable informed management assist sustainable resource mobilization refugees.