Department of Agroforestry and Environmental Science Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University Sher-e-bangla Nagar, Dhaka-1207

Course Code: AFES 259 Course Title : Agroforestry (Theory) Credit Hour: 03 Semester: July-December Course teacher: Md. Shariful Islam Assistant Professor

Course Content

Forest of Bangladesh: Concept, overview, importance and problems of forest in Bangladesh; ecological classification of forest of Bangladesh; important flora and fauna of Bangladesh forest; ecological, social and environmental contribution of forest.

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Forest of Bangladesh

Forest - is a large area of land covered with trees. But a forest is much more than just trees. It also includes smaller plants, such as mosses, shrubs, and wildflowers. In addition, many kinds of birds, insects, and other animals make their home in the forest. Millions upon millions of living things that can only be seen under a microscope also live in the forest.

In the words of Allen and Shorpe, ―Forest is a community of trees and associated organism covering a considerable area, utilizing air, water and minerals to attain maturity and to reproduce and capable of furnishing mankind with indispensable products and services‖

Before people began to clear the forests for farms and cities, great stretches of forestland covered about 60 per cent of the earth's land area. Today, forests occupy about 30 per cent of the land. The forests differ greatly from one part of the world to another. The world‘s forest area is just over 4 billion hectares or 40 million km2 (30 per cent of the Earth‘s land area), covering about one-third of the total land area. This corresponds to an average of 0.6 hectare per capita. The most forested countries – Russia, Brazil, Canada, the United States and China – accounts for more than half of the total forest area and more than 60 countries have less than one tenth of their area forested, with 10 of these having no forest at all.

The per capita forest area in Bangladesh is less than 0.015 hectare (Islam 2013) against the world average of 0.60 hectare (FAO, 2010). The state-owned forests are eccentrically distributed in the country. Over 90 per cent of the state owned forestland is concentrated mostly in 12 districts in the eastern and south-western regions of the country and out of 64 districts, 32 districts have no state owned forest at all (BBS 2016). Of the total forest area, 84% has been classified as natural forest and nearly 16% as plantation forest. The two most common types of forest, namely Hill forest and Mangrove forest cover more than 68% of total forest area

How many trees make a forest?

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) considers forests to be anywhere with more than 10 per cent tree cover, but that‘s not very much at all. Forests (according to the U.S. National Vegetation Classification system) consist of trees with overlapping crowns forming 60% to 100% cover. Woodlands are more open, with 25% to 60% cover. Other classification systems recognize savannas, as having widely spaced trees with anywhere from a minimum of 5 - 10 % cover to a maximum of 25 - 20% cover.

Forest ecology

Forests account for 75% of the gross primary productivity of the Earth's biosphere, and contain 80% of the Earth's plant biomass. Forest ecosystems can be found in all regions capable of sustaining tree growth, at altitudes up to the tree line, except where natural fire frequency or other disturbance is too high, or where the environment has been altered by human activity.

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The latitudes 10° north and south of the equator are mostly covered in tropical rainforest, and the latitudes between 53°N and 67°N have boreal forest. As a general rule, forests dominated by angiosperms (broadleaf forests) are more species-rich than those dominated by gymnosperms (conifer, montane, or needleleaf forests), although exceptions exist.

Forests sometimes contain many tree species only within a small area (as in tropical rain and temperate deciduous forests), or relatively few species over large areas (e.g., taiga and arid montane coniferous forests). Forests are often home to many animal and plant species, and biomass per unit area is high compared to other vegetation communities. Much of this biomass occurs below ground in the root systems and as partially decomposed plant detritus. The woody component of a forest contains lignin, which is relatively slow to decompose compared with other organic materials such as cellulose or carbohydrate.

Why forests are important 1. They help us breathe: Forests pump out the oxygen we need to live and absorb the carbon dioxide we exhale (or emit). Just one adult leafy tree can produce as much oxygen in a season as 10 people inhale in a year. Plankton are more prolific, providing half of Earth's oxygen, but forests are still a key source of breathable air.

2. They're more than just trees: Nearly half of all known species live in forests, including 80 percent of biodiversity on land. That variety is especially rich in tropical rain forests, from rare parrots to endangered apes, but forests teem with life around the planet: Bugs and worms work nutrients into soil, bees and birds spread pollen and seeds, and keystone species like wolves and big cats keep hungry herbivores in check.

3. People live there, too: Some 300 million people live in forests worldwide, including an estimated 60 million indigenous people whose survival depends almost entirely on native woods. Many millions more live along or near forest fringes, but even just a scattering of urban trees can raise property values and lower crime.

4. They keep us cool: By growing a canopy to hog sunlight, trees also create vital oases of shade on the ground. Urban trees help buildings stay cool, reducing the need for electric fans or air conditioners, while large forests can tackle daunting tasks like curbing a city's "heat island" effect or regulating regional temperatures.

5. They keep Earth cool: Trees also have another way to beat the heat: absorb CO2 that fuels global warming. Plants always need some CO2 for photosynthesis, but Earth's air is now so thick with extra emissions that forests fight global warming just by breathing. CO2 is stored in wood, leaves and soil, often for centuries.

6. They make it rain: Large forests can influence regional weather patterns and even create their own microclimates. The Amazon, for example, generates atmospheric conditions that not

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only promote regular rainfall there and in nearby farmland, but potentially as far away as the Great Plains of North America.

7. They fight flooding: Tree roots are key allies in heavy rain, especially for low-lying areas like river plains. They help the ground absorb more of a flash flood, reducing soil loss and property damage by slowing the flow.

8. They pay it forward: On top of flood control, soaking up surface runoff also protects ecosystems downstream.

9. They refill aquifers: Forests are like giant sponges, catching runoff rather than letting it roll across the surface, but they can't absorb all of it. Water that gets past their roots trickles down into aquifers, replenishing groundwater supplies that are important for drinking, sanitation and irrigation around the world.

10. They block wind: Farming near a forest has lots of benefits, like bats and songbirds that eat insects or owls and foxes that eat rats. But groups of trees can also serve as a windbreak, providing a buffer for wind-sensitive crops. And beyond protecting those plants, less wind also makes it easier for bees to pollinate them.

11. They keep dirt in its place: A forest's root network stabilizes huge amounts of soil, bracing the entire ecosystem's foundation against erosion by wind or water. Not only does deforestation disrupt all that, but the ensuing soil erosion can trigger new, life-threatening problems like landslides and dust storms.

12. They clean up dirty soil: In addition to holding soil in place, forests may also use phytoremediation to clean out certain pollutants.

13. They clean up dirty air:

14. They muffle noise pollution: Sound fades in forests, making trees a popular natural noise barrier. The muffling effect is largely due to rustling leaves — plus other woodland white noise, like bird songs — and just a few well-placed trees can cut background sound by 5 to 10 decibels, or about 50 percent as heard by human ears.

15. They feed us:

16. They give us medicine: About 70 percent of all known plants with cancer-fighting properties occur only in rain forests.

17. They help us make things:

18. They create jobs: More than 1.6 billion people rely on forests to some extent for their livelihoods, according to the U.N., and 10 million are directly employed in forest management or Page 4 of 17

conservation. Forests contribute about 1 percent of the global gross domestic product through timber production and non-timber products, the latter of which alone support up to 80 percent of the population in many developing countries.

19. They create majesty: Natural beauty may be the most obvious and yet least tangible benefit a forest offers.

20. They help us explore and relax:

21. They're pillars of their communities: Like the famous rug in "The Big Lebowski," forests really tie everything together.

What are the protective effects of forests?

 Influence on climate.  Protection from wind erosion.  Coastal protection.  Protection from avalanches.  Air-pollution filters.  Protecting water resources.

What are the ecological benefits of forests? Trees and soil play important ecological roles. Tree roots absorb soil nutrients and transport them upward to their trunk, branches, and leaves. When leaves and needles fall, they decay to become organic matter in the soil. Organic matter acts like a sponge, absorbing water and releasing it slowly, thus providing a relatively steady supply of water for tree and plant growth and reducing flooding, erosion, and muddy streams. Organic matter also stores and releases nutrients that are then sucked up by plant and tree roots. These nutrients are essential in perpetuating healthy forests.

And what does a healthy standing forest do for us? Trees act as air filters. Using carbon dioxide from the air, sunlight, and water, they create their own food (glucose, a sugar) in a process called photosynthesis. Byproducts of photosynthesis include oxygen and water. In fact, one forested acre releases 2,140 pounds of oxygen for us to breathe and one large tree can release several hundred gallons of water through its leaves in a process known as evapotranspiration.

How can forests affect climate change?

Forests influence climate change largely by affecting the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. When forests grow, carbon is removed from the atmosphere and absorbed in wood, leaves and soil. Because forests (and oceans) can absorb and store carbon over an extended period of time, they are considered “carbon sinks”. This

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carbon remains stored in the forest ecosystem, but can be released into the atmosphere when forests are burned. Quantifying the substantial roles of forests in absorbing, storing, and releasing carbon is key to understanding the global carbon cycle and hence climate change.

Carbon stock refers to the amount of carbon stored in the world‘s forest ecosystem, mainly in living biomass (44%) and soil (46%), but to a lesser extent also in dead wood (6%) and litter (4%). The amount of carbon stored in a hectare of forest and the relative contribution of the different parts of the ecosystem to the total carbon stock vary from region to region.

Overall, the world‘s forest ecosystems are estimated to store some 638 Gt (638 billion tonnes) of carbon, which is more than the amount of carbon in the entire atmosphere. From 1990 to 2005, the overall amount of carbon stored in living biomass decreased, mainly as a result of decreases in South and Southeast Asia, Western and Central Africa, and South America. The amount of carbon stored in living biomass remained approximately constant in Oceania and increased in Europe and in North and Central America. Forests are often broadly classified by biomes, which are forest types corresponding to the climatic regions of the earth in which they occur. There are three major forest biomes: tropical, temperate, and boreal. Within these biomes, a forest type is a group of similar forest ecosystems that are distinguishable from other groups by their species composition, productivity and/or crown closure. Tropical forests occur near the equator and are the most ecologically rich of all forest types. They are also one of the most threatened forest types due to logging and clearance for agriculture. Within the tropical forest biome, there are several forests types, which are determined by seasonal distribution of rainfall:

Forest area and Type of Forest in Bangladesh According to a recent estimate, total forest land in Bangladesh is about 2.53 million hectares or 17% of the land surface of the country (Bangladesh Economic Review, 2002).

Forest Area of Bangladesh Category of Forests Area (Million Hectare) Percentage (%) Forest Department Managed Forests 1.53 10.54 Unclassed State Forest 0.73 5.07 Village Forest 0.27 1.88 Total 2.53 17.08 %

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Category of forest land Category of forest Area (million ha) Percentage Forest land managed by Forest Department 1.53 60.3 Unclassed state forest 0.73 29.0 Village forest 0.27 10.7 Total 2.53 100.0 Source: Forest Department

Forest land managed by Forest Department Category of forest Area (million ha) Percentage Hill Forests 0.67 44.1 Natural Mangrove Forests 0.6 39.5 Mangrove Plantations 0.14 8.6 Plain Land Sal Forest 0.12 7.9 Total 1.53 100.0 Source: Forest Department

Forest Types of Bangladesh: The area of forestland is 2.53 million ha which is 17.5% of the country‘s total area. Bangladesh Forest Department (BFD) manages 1.53 million hectares of forestland. The natural forests of Bangladesh are considered as one of the richest and biologically diverse forest resources due to its unique geo-physical location. About 5000 plant species are estimated to occur here. The forest cover, flora and fauna, and a smoothing natural environment are mingled with our tradition. Different regions of Bangladesh manifest different natural heritage. In the southwestern region of the country there lies the great forest of Sundarbans, the Sal forest in the middle and the evergreen hill forests in the southeast. A great variation in flora and fauna develops different and distinct ecosystems in the forests of Bangladesh. The remaining 0.73 million hectare of land designated as Unclassed State Forest (USF) are under the control of Ministry of Land. Village forests (homestead land) form the most productive tree resource base in the country and accounts for 0.27 million hectare. Depending on their location, nature and type of management of the forests of Bangladesh can be grouped into following categories, which are below-

1. The Hill Forest mainly situated in the district of Chittagong, Cox‘s Bazar, Rangamati, Khagrachari, Bandarban and Sylhet. The total area of the Hill Forest is 670,000 hectare which accounts for 44% of total area managed by the Forest Department and 4.54% of total area of Bangladesh.

2. Natural Mangrove (Sundarban), the world‘s largest contiguous natural mangrove forest in Bangladesh covers an area of 6,017 sq. km which accounts for 4.07% of total area of Bangladesh and 40% of total area managed by the Forest Department. The area covered by the three wildlife sanctuaries in the Sundarban is 1,39,700 hectare that was declared as ‗World Heritage site‘ by the UNESCO in 1997. Page 7 of 17

3. Mangrove Afforestation: Along the coastal zone of bangladesh. Major produce: firewood, pulpwood.

4. The plain land „Sal‟ forest is situated mainly in the district of Gazipur, Tangail, Mymensingh, Sherpur, Jamalpur, Netrokona, Naoga, Rangpur, Dinajpur and Panchagar. The total area of Sal Forest is 120,000 hectare which accounts for 0.81% of total area of Bangladesh and 7.89% of total area managed by the Forest Department.

5. Unclassed State Forests, unclassed State Forest (USF) refers to the forest area in Chittagong Hill Districts which are administrated by district administration. The land under this classification comprises an area of about 712,418 ha out of which nearly 17,347 ha is currently under the control of the BFD. As mentioned before, there is no information on the exact extent of forest coverage within this area, but it is recognized that most of the lands under this category are barren and denuded. A large chunk of this land is being cultivated intensively resulting in loss of top soil and fertility. While the area available is large, there is no major initiative now to bring these lands under tree cover. Most of the land is covered by intensive cultivation in a sloping terrain, where top soil and soil fertility have been lost. Because of the prevailing political situation in parts of the Hill Districts, Forest Department has not been able to undertake any plantation programme on these lands for quite some time. As, this vast tract of land is one of the biggest chunk of land available for plantation established, it is important that suitable mechanism, implanted over more land. All involved parties have also agreed to the implementation of a watershed project funded by UNDP. If successful, this could be a pathfinder. Acceptable to all parties be found out so that these areas are again brought under tree cover. Some small scale plantation programmes are being implemented successfully by some NGOs in collaboration with local communities and these needs to be scaled up and implanted over more land. All involved parties have also agreed to the implementation of a watershed project funded by UNDP. If successful, this could be a pathfinder.

6. Swamp Forest: Mainly in the sylhet and sunamganj district in the north-western part. Hijal (Barringtoniaacutangula) and Koroch (Pongamiapinnata) are the main species of the forest. The swamp forests support fresh water fisheries and are vital spawning grounds.

7. Village Forests: Privately owned village forests, also known as homestead forests. The tree cover in village forests is 2,70,000 hectares. A reasonable portion of the total demand of forest products is being met from homestead forest. According to the latest inventory report, the village woodlots have a growing stock of 54.7 million cubic meters. Generally, Homestead or village forest is a land owned by a family and used as developing and as a production unit for plants, animals, fish, under integrated farming system in which continuous interaction takes place among man, trees, livestock, soil and water. It includes immediate area surrounding the dwelling unit. Homestead farming is an age-old practice in Bangladesh involving deliberate management of multipurpose trees and shrubs in intimate

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association with annual and perennial agricultural crops and invariably, livestock, within the compounds of individual houses; the whole crop tree- animal unit being intensively managed by family labor. There are no village forests assigned to the villagers under the Forest Act in Bangladesh. What are known as village forests or village groves in the country are these homesteads- entirely private properties. About 70 percent of fuel wood and timber come from homesteads. Also, 90 percent of bamboos used in construction and cottage industries come from the homesteads.

Table: Some common species in the homestead forests of Bangladesh

Category of plants Local name Scientific name Mahogany Swietenia mavrophylla Koroi Albizia spp. Eucalyptus Eucalyptus camaldulensis Trees (Fuelwood/timber) Acacia Acacia auriculiformis Mangium Acacia Mangium Ipil-ipil Leucaena leucocephala Cham Artocarpus chaplasha Am Mangifera indica Kathal Artocarpus heterophyllus Peara Psidium guajava Narikel Cocos nucifera Kul Ziziphus mauratiana Supari Areca catechu Fruit bearing plants Ata Anona squamosa Sharifa Anona reticulata Litchu Litchia chinensis Lebu Citrus spp. Pepe Carica papaya Kala Musa sapientum Neem Azadirachta indica Arjun Terminalia arjuna Medicinal plants Amloki Emblica offi cinalis Bohera Terminalia bellirica Bash Bambusa spp. Non-wood species Bet Calamus spp. Patipata Schumannianthus dichotoma Ipil-ipil Leucaena leucocephala Fodder/forage Akh Saccharum spp.

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Ecologically, there are four main types of forests in Bangladesh as follows:

1. Tropical Wet Evergreen Forest 2. Tropical Semi-Evergreen Forests 3. Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests 4. Mangrove forest (tidal forests) or Sundarban

Definition of evergreen & Semi-evergreen forest Evergreen trees/Forest retains their foliage all year long; or in other words, they never have bare branches. Semi-evergreen: Plants that tending to be evergreen in a mild climate but deciduous in a rigorous climate or specific situations that may arise. For example, during droughts, certain weather/climate conditions and/or due to certain insects. Or A semi-evergreen plant loses most of the leaves/foliage before the new growth period, keeping a few stragglers throughout the winter months then only dropping them as the new growth appears. Deciduous trees/Forest will lose their foliage for part of the year—typically during the winter season. Semi-Deciduous: A semi-deciduous plant loses the leaves as the new growth begins, leaving only a short period without foliage; unlike a full deciduous tree that loses the leaves for a long period such as a full winter.

1. Tropical Wet Evergreen Forest: These forests usually occur in hills and moist shady areas in Rangamati, Bandarban, Khagrachari, Chittagong, Cox‘s Bazar and Sylhet. They are rich in floristic composition. The forest is rich in epiphytes, orchids, and woody climbers, particularly in shady moist places.

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 total landmass of the country and 44% of national forest land. Depending on topography, soil and climate, these areas are categorized as i) Tropical wet evergreen forests and ii) Tropical semi- evergreen forests.

Characteristics of tropical wet evergreen Forest  The top canopy trees reach a height of 45-62 m.  About 700 species of flowering plants grow in this type of forest.  Due to humidity, epiphytic orchids, ferns and fern allies, climbers, terrestrial ferns, mosses, aroids, and rattans are found as undergrowth in moist shady places.  The shrubs, herbs and grasses are fewer in number.

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 Trees like kaligarjan, dhaligarjan, civit, dhup, kamdeb, raktan, narkeli, tali, chundul, dhaki jam are the common evergreen species which constitute the uppermost canopy.  Pitraj, chalmoogra, dephal, nageswar, kao, jam, goda, dumur, koroi, dharmara, tejbhal, gamar, madanmasta, assar, moose, chatim, toon, bura, ashok, barmala, dakrum occupy the second storey  Champa, banshimul, chapalish, madar are some of the semi-deciduous and deciduous trees that grow sporadically.  Several species of bamboo are also found in these forests.

2. Tropical semi evergreen forests These forests occur in Cox‘s Bazar, Chittagong, Rangamati, Khagrachari, Bandarban, and Sylhet in less dry and hotter localities.

Characteristics of tropical semi evergreen forests  Over 800 species of flowering plants have been recorded in these forests.  They have more undergrowth than evergreen forests.  Top canopy trees reach a height of 25-57 m.  The common deciduous species are garjan, simul, bansimul, batna, chapalish, toon, koroi and jalpai.  In the valleys and moist slopes chapalish, telsur, chundul and narkeli constitute the top canopy.  Gutgutya, toon, pitraj, nageswar, uriam, nalizam, godajam, pitjam, dhakijam form the middle storey.  On the hotter and dryer slopes and on ridges different species of garjan, banshimul, shimul, shil koroi, chundul, guja batna, kamdeb, bura gamari, bahera and moose form the upper storey.

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.

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.

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3. Tropical moist deciduous Forests These forests occur in Dhaka, Mymensingh, Tangail, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Naogaon and Comilla. The principal species is Sal (Shorea robusta). 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. Deciduous Forest a forest where the major constituent trees shed their leaves during winter or dry season to reduce the loss of water through transpiration. In this type of forest the sal tree, Shorea robusta is the dominant species and comprise about 90 percent of the major floral composition. The tree attains a height of 10-25 m and most leaves drop off during winter. Generally the annual rainfall to these forest areas is about 2000 mm.

Because of the predominance of sal trees, the tropical moist deciduous forest of Bangladesh are commonly known as 'Sal Forests'. These forests are now distributed in Dhaka, Mymensingh, Nawabganj, Rangpur, Dinajpur and Comilla regions. They constitute two distinct belts (covering about 107,000 ha of land); the larger one falls between the Bhramaputra and the Jamuna rivers with a length of about 80 km and a width of 7-20 km. This part is known as Madhupur Garh. The other smaller belt is situated at Sherpur district and lies along the foothills of the Garo hills of India, having a length of about 60 km and width of 1.5-10 km.

There are some smaller remnant patches of forest areas in Rangpur, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, and Naogaon districts (covering about 14,000 ha) with some remainings in Shalvan Vihara, Mainamati and Rajeshpur in Comilla (about 200 ha).

Until late 19th century, these forests existed as a continuous belt from Comilla to Darjeeling of India. At present, most of the forest areas are under occupation and the present remaining stands of sal are of poor stocking and quality, consisting of degraded coppice and plantations. The present notified area of this forest is largely honeycombed with rice fields and other cultivated land. The forest forms more or less a uniform canopy of 10-20 m, mostly with deciduous plants. Besides sal (about 90%), the other common trees are palash (Butea monosperma), haldu (Adina cordfolia), jarul or shidah (Lagerstroemia parviflora), bazna, hargoja or ajuli (Dillenia pentagyna), bhela, koroi, menda (Litsea monopetala), kushum, udhal, dephajam, bahera, kurchi, haritaki, pitraj, sheora, sonalu, assar, amlaki and adagash (Croton oblongifolius). Climbers (mostly woody) like kanchan lata, anigota, kumari lata, gajpipal, pani lata, Dioscorea species, satamuli, and gila occur in these forests. A good number of undergrowth is also recorded (about 250 species under 50 genera). The common ones are assam lata, bhat, boichi, moina kanta and ashal. The significant grass is sungrass. Few epiphytes are also recorded. Legumes, euphrobias and convolvulous plants also occur. The deciduous forests of Bangladesh show clear signs of degradation due to human interference and illegal cuttings of the forest trees. 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.

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4. Mangrove forest (tidal forests) or Sundarban: The natural mangrove forest is the Sundarbans in Khulna, Bagerhat and Satkhira districts. Sundarbans constitutes the world‘s largest contiguous mangrove forest ecosystem. Besides natural mangroves in Sundarbans, there are a number of manmade mangrove forests along the coast of the Bay of Bengal. These coastal mangrove forests play an important role in the reclamation of land, protection of coastal habitats from cyclones and tidal surges, and to uplift the socio-economic conditions of coastal people. These forests have had been established in Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Laksmipur, Noakhali, Feni, Chittagong and Cox‘ Bazar Districts.

Mangrove forests thrive near the mouths of large rivers where river deltas provide lots of sediment (sand and mud). Mangrove roots collect sediments and slow the water's flow, helping to protect the coastline and preventing erosion. Over time, the roots can collect enough debris and mud to extend the edge of the coastline further out.

Mangrove forests are teeming with life. Shorebirds, crab-eating monkeys, and fishing cats all make the mangrove home. Mangroves provide a safe haven and a nursery for a variety of fish, birds, crustaceans, and shellfish.

Where Are Mangroves Found?

There are 15.9 million hectares (over 60,000 square miles) of mangrove forests in the warm waters of tropical oceans all over the world. Along the Atlantic coast they are found from Florida all the way down to Argentina. Mangroves grow on both the western and eastern coasts of Africa. They stretch into India, Burma, and south-east Asia. Mangrove forests are also common in New Zealand and Australia.

Mangrove forests are one of the world‘s most threatened tropical ecosystems More than 35% of the world‘s mangroves are already gone. The figure is as high as 50% in countries such as India, the Philippines, and Vietnam, while in the Americas they are being cleared at a rate faster than tropical rainforests.

The Sundarbans (21°30'- 22°30'N, 89°12'-90°18'E) are a World Heritage Site which consists of three wildlife sanctuaries (Sundarbans West, East and South) lying on disjunct deltaic islands in the Sundarbans Forest Division of Khulna District, close to the border with India and immediately west of the principal outflow of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers. The Sundarbans belong to Bengalian Rainforest biogeographical province.

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Date and History of Establishment  1977: All three wildlife sanctuaries established under the Bangladesh Wildlife (Preservation) (Amendment) Act, 1974,  1878: The three sanctuaries gazetted as forest reserves.  1996: The total area of wildlife sanctuaries extended; the entire Sundarbans is reserved forest, established under the Indian Forest Act, 1878.  1997: The Sundarbans inscribed on the World Heritage List.

Area: The total area of the Bangladesh section of Sundarbans is 595,000 hectares (ha) of which 139,699ha are protected as follows: Sundarbans West Wildlife Sanctuary with 71,502ha; Sundarbans East Wildlife Sanctuary with 31,226 hectares; and Sundarbans South Wildlife Sanctuary with 36,970ha.

(a) Natural Mangrove Forests The largest single tract of natural mangrove forest is the Sundarban. It consists of a total of 6,01,700 hectare which is 4.07% of total land mass of the country and 40% of total forest land.

Sundarban harbours 334 species of trees, shrubs and epiphytes and 375 species of wild animals including Royal Bengal Tiger, Crocodile and Dolphin and 291 species of fishes. World renowned Royal Bengal Tiger is the magnificent animal of the Sundarban. 1,39,700 hectare forest land of Sundarban is declared as World Heritage Site where three wildlife sanctuaries viz.Sundarban East, Sundarban West and Sundarban South wildlife sanctuaries are located. Sundri is the most important tree species in the Sundarban which is distributed over 73% of the reserve. Extent of Sundri is followed by Gewa (Excoecaria agallocha), Baen (Avecinnia offcecinalis), Passur (Xylocarpur mekongensis), Keora (Sonneratia apetala) etc. There are some other non-wood forest products like Golpata (Nypa fruticans), honey, wax, fish, crab etc which are also of high value.

Sundarban is a unique habitat for a number of wildlife. Among them some mammals are Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), Gangetic Dolphin (Platanista gangetica), Monkey (Macaca mulatta), Indian Fishing cat (Felis viverrina), Indian Otter (Lutra perspicillata), Spotted Deer (Axis axis) etc. Reptiles like Estuarine Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), Monitor Lizard (Varanus salvator), Rock Python (Python molurus) and Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) etc. are found in the Sundarban.

(b) Mangrove Plantation

Mangrove afforestation along the entire southern coastal frontier is an innovation of foresters. During 1960-61, Government undertook afforestation programme along the shore land of coastal districts. This initiative got momentum from 1980-81 with the aid of development partners and afforestation programs are extended over foreshore islands, embankments and along the open coasts. The present net area of mangrove plantation is 136,000 hectare after return back some area to Ministry of Land, and losing some area due to natural calamities.

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Unique features of Mangrove plants Mangrove flora (trees, shrubs, grasses, epiphytes & lianas) show unique power or ability to adapt and survive in harsh environment of saline, muddy, strong wind, tides, etc. These abilities are: i) can maintain water balance in saline condition (some excrete salts from leaves, root glands); ii) anchoring ability against wind, tide and mud ( by prop-roots viz Garjan tree) iii) evolve special aerial roots with root-tips protrude like spikes, called respiratory roots for aeration in clayey soil (viz. Keora tree) ; iv) special skill to colonize in mud banks by viviparous germination i.e. bringing forth live young plants developed while within the body of mother plants (viz. Kakra trees).

The Underlying Causes of Deforestation and Forest Degradation in three Forest Areas of Bangladesh:

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 Swamp Forest:

Ratargul Swamp Forest is an evergreen forest. It is one of the best freshwater swamp forests in this world. The beauty of this forest is bloomed mainly in the rainy season. Ratargul is the only swamp forest in Bangladesh conserved under Department of Forestry.

Location of Ratargul Swamp Forest Ratargul is located in Gowainghat upazilla of Sylhet district. It is situated by the river named Goain. Ratargul Swamp Forest is also linked with Chengir Khal canal.

Characteristics of Ratargul Most of the trees are Koroch tree whose scientific name is Pongamia Pinnata. The forest goes under water of 20-30 feet in rainy season. The water level is about 10 feet for rest of the year and some place of the forest remains dry.

Some Basic Information

Ratargul Swamp Forest, the one and only Fresh Water Swamp forest of Bangladesh, and you will be amazed to know that other than Ratargul, there are only twenty one more freshwater forests in the whole world! In our Indian subcontinent we got just two of them, one in Sri Lanka and the other is our precious Ratargul.

Now, the natural question comes in our mind that, what is a swamp forest? Well, Freshwater swamp forests, or flooded forests, are forests which are inundated with freshwater, either permanently or seasonally. They normally occur along the lower reaches of rivers and around freshwater lakes. Freshwater swamp forests are found in a range of climate zones, from boreal through temperate and subtropical to tropical. Some swamps have Hammock (ecology) or dry-land protrusions, covered by Aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The water of a swamp may be Fresh water, Brackish water or Seawater. Some of the world‘s largest swamps are found along major rivers such as the Amazon, the Mississippi, and the Congo.

Our Ratargul Swamp Forest is located in Goainghat area of Sylhet. This forest is flooded by the water coming from hills of India through the river Goyain only in the monsoon period and makes the swamp. Other time, it remains dry and muddy. Water of this beautiful forest is so clear that you can see the bottom layer. Water level never remains in the same level on this forest. It depends on the quantity of rainfalls. Water level could be 15-20 feet in the forest on the time of heavy rainfall. Total area of the forest is 3325.61 acres, among which 504 acres of forest was declared wildlife sanctuary in 1973.

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Main trees of this forest are zigzag style Koroch and Hizal tree. Root of these trees are in two level. One in the ground, and another in the mid-level which is used while the forest is flooded in the monsoon time. If someone sees this forest in monsoon time, he may think these trees are born above the water because of the roots in mid-level. It‘s a good source of different local fish. It‟s the habitat of different snakes, monkeys, lizards, insects & birds. You would have seen vulture & Eagle if you are lucky. Some part the forest gets so narrow that you can‘t go by boat.

Major threats to forests

The following agents and reasons are the major threats to the natural forest resource, protected area as well as biodiversity of Bangladesh: 1) Destruction of habitat 2) Overexploitation 3) Indiscriminate use of agro-chemicals 4) Oil spills 5) Encroachment into the natural forests 6) Change in land use pattern and land use conflict 7) Indiscriminate hunting 8) Poaching of animals 9) Habitat destruction 10) Lack of people‘s awareness 11) Poor management of protected areas 12) Lack of a plan for compatible forest and wildlife management 13) Inefficient implementation of law for wildlife conservation 14) Natural calamities (flooding, storm surge).

What can I do to help preserve our forests?

There is a fun way to remember the most important points in forest preservation called TREES which means...

 Teach others about the importance of the environment and how they can help save forests.  Restore damaged ecosystems by planting trees on land where forests have been cut down.  Encourage people to live in a way that doesn't hurt the environment.  Establish parks to protect forests and wildlife.  Support companies that operate in ways that minimize damage to the environment.

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