A present Scenario of Forest Resources In Bangladesh: A Compact Analysis ( Part- three)

5. 2. Tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forests:

Tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forests are extended over Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Chittagong Hill Tracts and Sylhet totaling an area of 6,70,000 hectare which is 4.54% of the total landmass of the country and 44% of national forest land. Depending on topography, soil and climate this area are categorized as i) Tropical wet evergreen forests and ii) Tropical semi-evergreen forests.

The hill forests are abundant with numerous plant as well as animal species. Some important flora are Garjan (Dipterocarpus spp.), Chapalish (Artocarpus chaplasha), Telsur (Hopea odorata), Tali (Palaquium polyanthrum), Kamdeb (Callophyllum polyanthum), Uriam (Mangifera sylvatica), Jarul (Legarstromia speciosa), Civit (Swintonia floribunda), Toon (Cedrela toona), Bandorhola (Duabanga grandiflora) etc. Moreover there are bamboo, cane, climbers and fern etc. in these forests.

These forests are brought under plantation programme since 1871. At present, plantation activities are being conducted under development projects. Some valuable plantation species are Teak (Tectona grandis), Gamar (Gmelina arborea), Mehogani (Swietenia spp), Chapalish (Artocarpus chaplasha), Jarul (Legarstromia speciosa), Koroi (Albizzia spp), Chikrassi (Chikrassia tabularis), Pynkado (Xylia dolabriformis), Kadam (Anthocephalus cadamba), Telsur (Hopea odorata) etc.

The latest forest inventory shows that a total of 23,93 million cubic meter forest products are available there. Among the mammals Elephant (Elephas maximus), monkey (Macaca mulatta), Wild Boar (Sus scrofa), Barking Deer ( Muntiacus muntjak), Samvar (Cervus unicolor), and Indian Leopard (Panthera pardus). Among the reptiles King cobra (Ophiophagus hanna) Monitor Lizard (Varanus salvator) and Bengal Monitor Lizard (Varanus bengalensis) are remarkable

5.3. Tropical moist deciduous Forests:

The Central and northern districts covering an area of 1,20,000 ha about 0.81% of total land mass of the country and 7.8% of the country’s forest land are bestowed with Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests. This forest is intermingled with the neighbouring settlements and fragmented into smaller patches. Sal (Shorea robusta) is the main species there with other associates like Koroi (Albizzia procera), Azuli (Dillenia pentagyna), Sonalu (Cassia fistula), Bohera (Terminalia belerica), Haritaki (Terminalia chebula), Kanchan (Bauhinia acuminata), Jarul (Lagerstroemia speciosa), Jam (Syzygium spp) etc.

A recent forest inventory encountered that 3.75 million cubic meter wood available in the sal forests. Presently participatory forestry programme are being implemented here under the social forestry initiatives. Among the mammals, Jackel (Canis aureus), Monkey (Macaca mulatta), Wild cat (Felis chaus) etc. are found there and among the reptiles Bengal Monitor Lizard (Varanus bengalensis) and common cobra are remarkable.

5.4. Village Forests:

Tree coverage in the village forests are 2,70,000 hectare which acts as the source of a remarkable portion of national demand of forest produces. The latest inventory exhibits that a total of 54.7 million cu m forest products are available in this village forests.

1.      Some different types of foresty:

6.1. Social Forestry

Social Forestry programs have been initiated with a view to meet the forest product requirements of local population and to reverse the process of ecological and climatic degradation through proper soil and water conservation and to improve the socio economic condition of the rural people.

Social Forestry programs have following objectives:

1. To meet the needs for fuel wood, small timber, bamboo, fodder and other minor forest produces on sustained basis.

2. To provide employment opportunities to the rural population.
3. To develop cottage industries in rural areas.
4. To utilize the available land to the best advantage according to its production capacity.
5. To provide efficient soil and water conservation.
6. To improve aesthetic value of the area and to meet the recreational needs of the population.

6.2. Agro Forestry

As a concept, Agroforestry is not new in forestry practice. Forest Department has been practicing this in the name of Taungya in the hill forest for last 100 years. But as a science for natural resource management, it is new. Agroforestry as the name implies is the practice of growing agriculture and forestry on the same land at same time to optimize the land utilization. In the plain land forest i.e. in Sal Forest, Forest Department is practicing this system for decades together on a participatory approach to replant the barren forestland and after harvest; a share will go to the participating members. This is a multipurpose approach to replant barren land with the help of participants and protect it by them to build up forest resources. At the end of the rotation, the shares of the harvested forest products are distributed to the participants in accordance to an agreement with the participants.  

This concept is doing well in the ‘Sal Forest’ of Dhaka, Tangail, Mymensing, Rajshahi, Rangpur and Dinajpur. New programs of agroforestry have been incorporated in the ADB aided Forestry Sector Project launched by the Forest Department. In this project 6450 hectare of new plantations will be raised on the degraded Sal Forest and another 5400 hectare will be raised on the harvested land of old Agroforestry plantations.

6.3. Participatory Forestry:

From last two decades there has been a gradual shift in the forest management approach adopted by Forest Department i.e from its traditional custodian role to a more participatory approach. Accordingly the provision of people’s participation in protecting the natural forest and afforesting the degraded and encroached forestland with benefit sharing mechanism has been developed and people’s participation has been ensured.

The ADB funded Community Forestry Project implemented in the seven northern districts from 1981 to 1987 paved the foundation of Participatory forestry in Bangladesh. Following this other ADB funded project named ‘Thana afforestation and nursery development project’, ‘Green Belt project’ were implemented and now ‘Forestry sector project’ is being implemented throughout the country. Major components of this project are: Woodlot, Agro forestry and Strip plantations etc

2.      Protected areas of Bangladesh:

Protected Area Covers 10.72% of Total Forest Area. Protected Areas include Wildlife Sanctuary, National Park and Game Reserve. Their definitions in the Bangladesh Wildlife (Preservation) Order, 1973 (henceforth Wildlife Order) is as follows:

Wildlife Sanctuary means an area closed to hunting, shooting or trapping of wild animals and declared as such under Article 23 by the government as undisturbed breeding ground primarily for the protection of wildlife inclusive of all natural resources such as vegetation soil and water.

National Park means comparatively large areas of outstanding scenic and natural beauty with the primary object of protection and preservation of scenery, flora and fauna in the natural state to which access for public recreation and education and research may be allowed. Game Reserve means an area declared by the government as such for the protection of wildlife and increase in the population of important species wherein capturing of wild animals shall be unlawful.

3.      Forest Products:

NWFP (Non Wood Forest Products): Some of the important non-wood forest products are listed below: -

8.1. Bamboo  (Melocanna baccifera, Bambusa tulda etc.): Plays a very crucial role in our rural economy and is a singular essential material for construction of temporary house / shelter for the rural people, especially for the hilly tribal people.

8.2. Sungrass  (Imperata spp.): The most common roofing / thatching material for temporary low -cost housing in the villages and forest terrain's of Bangladesh.

8.3.Cane (Calamus viminalis,Calamus guruba):Used for domestic purposes by the rural people, but more so, for sophisticated furniture making & luxury souvenir articles.

8.4.Pati Pata / Murta (Clinogynae dichotoma): This is an excellent material for floor-mats (Pati), which is extensively used by the poor villagers and also as a luxury item for the rich people. This is also exported by the cottage industries as a finished product.

8.5.Gol-Pata (Nypa fruticans):  This is a very popular and essential thatching / roofing material for poor people, around Khulna, Bagerhat and Satkhira districts and fetches handsome revenue for the Forest Department.

8.6.Leaves, Bark & Fruits"Kurus pata'':  Holarrhena antidysenterica is very popular for medicinal use. Horitaki (Terminalia chebula), Amlaki (Phyllanthus emblica), Bohera (Terminalia belerica) popularly called "Trifala" (Myrabolum) are used as medicine in the country.

8.7.Honey: Used as food, drink, beverage and also as a medicine in the country.

8.8. Shells, Conch-Shells, oysters etc: Considerable quantity of shells, oysters, conchshells are collected by local inhabitants, as a means of livelihood in the coastal forest-belts, like Cox's Bazar, Teknaf, Moheshkhali, Barisal, Patuakhali, Sundarbans etc. These are highly priced by tourists as souvenir articles and as such may be exported.

8.9. Fish Resources:  In rivers flowing inside forest areas like Sundarbans, Chittagong Hill Tracts and Sylhet (as well as in the coastal belts and offshore islands under the jurisdiction of Forest Department) considerable quantity of different types of fish (both sweet-water and saline fish) are harvested by local fishermen, for which the Forest Department earns revenue.

Continued...........