LAND USE PLANNING FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS

St. Martin's Island is the only coral bearing island of Bangladesh and one of the most biologically diverse areas with superb beauty of nature. The island has been facing environmental threats due to uncontrolled and unregulated tourism during the last few years. Coastal erosion, coral extraction, local pollution, unplanned physical development and destructive fishing techniques are the major environmental threats occurring due to uncontrolled tourism activities. This book identifies major environmental problems occurring due to excessive tourism and other development works and gives recommendations on how these can be mitigated through land use planning. In the recommendations only eco-tourism has been encouraged. However, the first priority has been given on conservation of the ecology of the coral island.