CHAPTER THREE
Materials and Methods
The study covered the Modhutila EcoPark and includes Nalitabari Upazila, under Mymensing Forest Devision. The study involved collection of field data and review of the existing secondary information on the study area, with secondary data being acquired from various government and non-government sources, responsible officer (ACF, Ranger, Forester and Beat officer, Mymensing Forest Department) and primary data through field inventory and observation, and informal interviews and in-depth discussions with various stakeholders, local people, business man, shopkeeper, inside villagers and local elites of the region. The stakeholders included lease holder, staff, local administration, lodge owners and/or operators, Attempts were also made to informally interview a few tourists. The study carried out during May to July-2009. There is no previous research work undertaken in the area.
3.1. Selection of Study Area:
Modhutila Ecopark, Sherpur is one of the prospectus tourism spot in Mymensing region. This park situated in Nalitabari Upazila, Sherpur District, Dhaka Division. This park can provide a lot of employment opportunity to local people. As a result this region was selected purposively to conduct my study. Two nearest villages were selected for data collection from six associated villages of Modhutila EcoPark.
3.2. Reconnaissance Survey
One orientation visit was made in the project area to prepare the questionnaires, and finalize the objectives and title of project. I have made a visit to the project area and made an informal discussion with the help of my supervisor. I have met with respondent ACF (Mymensing Forest Division), visitors, local people and park management authority.
3.3. Preparation of Questionnaire:
A semi-structured questionnaire was made to collect information about socio-economic condition of the local people , operational characteristics of the respondent and tourist such as occupation, age, location, type of sanitation, type of accommodation, type of business, purpose of visit, visit with whom, mode of travel, tourism related employment, trip duration, type of disposal of waste, parking rate of car, no. of tourist visit per day, leasing price of this spot per year, in a word, over all management pattern, problems and socio-economic condition of this spot.
3.4. Selection of Respondent:
Visitors were selected randomly to know the nature of visitors and their opinion. To know the impact of tourism on the socio economic condition and problems of the local community, 40 families were selected randomly out of 250 families in Shamchura and Dhupakura village located near the park and affected by park. About 45 visitors were selected randomly.
3.5. Primary Data Collection:
Primary data were collected by two methods:
a) Interview method: Relevant primary data were collected from visitors, respondent family, local people, and authority of park and Forest Department through field survey by using semi –structured questionnaire. Face to face interviewing of the respondents was under taken to have answers of the semi-structured questionnaire. The questionnaire contain socio-economic condition, demography, educational status of the respondent; tourism pattern of the study area, environmental reliability, employment opportunity of the respondents, type of employment, sanitation facilities of the respondent family and tourist center, family size and status of respondent family and over all information of tourist and other various information were collected from the field.
b) Personal contact and visit: the person who are engaged in the development of the area such as ACF, Ranger, Forester of Mymensing Forest Division. I have made informal discussion with them and visit to the area.
3.6. Secondary data Collection:
Secondary data of this area is not sufficient, but I tried to my best to collect data from Mymensing Forest Division, UNO office of Nalitabari Upazila, Sherpur Forest Department, Chairmen & Member of this region, Park authority, Daily newspaper, journals, brochures, thesis papers from the Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, (SUST), Seminar library and Central library of Shahjalal University of Science & Technology. Map and other demographic information were collected from Banglapedia.
3.7. Data Analysis:
Required information stored out were analysis to prepare meaningful master sheet, then manipulated into convenient form to use in the result and discussion.
3.8. Report Writing:
After complete analysis of data they are used to writing this paper.
