Introduction of non-mangrove in raised land a way to maintain sustainable forest in coastal belt of Bangladesh
Introduction of non-mangrove in raised land a way to maintain sustainable forest in coastal belt of Bangladesh
Md. Serajuddoula, A. S. Khan, M. R. Islam and M. A. H. Shahjalal
ABSTRACT
The coastal afforestation program was started in the year 1966. Today, 1.3 million hectares of land have been planted with keora (Sonneratia apetala), baen (Avicennia officinalis) gewa (Excoecaria agallocha), kankra (Bruguiera sexangula) and goldpata (Nipa fruticans). Among them keora and baen are the major (80 and 20 percent, respectively) planting species. This established man-made mangrove forest along the coastal belt and off shore islands face major problems viz. site suitability, regeneration for second rotation crop and insect infestation under present management system. Considering the sustainability of the existing plantation, research on mesophytic trees has been carried out. Eleven commercially important mesophytic trees species were tried in two locations (Rangabali and Kukri-mukri). The data on survival, height and diameter was recorded and statistically analyzed. Out of eleven species jhaw (Casuarina equisetifolia), babla (Acacia nilotica) rain tree (Samania saman) payra (Pithecellobium dulce), sada koroi (Albizzia procera) and soan boloi (Hibiscus tilliaceus) showed promising for Rangabali location. Where as in Kukri-mukri location the promising species were raintree (S. saman), pyra (P. dulce), kala koroi (A. lebbeck), sissoo (Dalbergia sissoo), jam (Syzygium cumini) and babla (A. nilotica). These plantations of above mentioned species established in the coastal areas are likely to offer sustained yield and render a permanent forest cover in the coastal belt.
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December 1995
Vol. 45, Iss. 4
