Tengragiri reserve forest threatened

Soil erosion and other natural causes pose as a threat to the very existence of Tengragiri reserved forest, according to the forest experts and officials.

A large number of trees have been dying every year over the past 15 years or so.

The forest department has no initiatives to protect the forest which guards the southern coastal belt from various natural calamities.

"Research is required to determine why the trees are dying. We would take an initiative in this regard. Salinity is killing off the tree roots. Loss of sand and soil around the roots also causes the trees to die," said forest officer of Patuakhali-Barguna region of Forest Department, Ajit Kumar Rudra.

He said erosion was a natural cause and a project has been taken to check this. It has been decided that dead trees will not be removed as these can check erosion, he added.

While visiting the forest last December, many trees including rain trees, keora, gewa, sundari, goran and chhoila, were found dead. Strong tide from the Bay of Bengal has washed away the soil from the roots of many trees. Sand covers the roots of these trees. Leaves and branches of trees have turned yellow. Tidal waters enter the forest which has expedited soil erosion. The same scenario was seen in the reserved forests of Sakhina, Nishanbaria and Nalbunia.

The Tengragiri forest stretches from Taltali upazila of Barguna to the beach of Kuakata of Patuakhali. Although it is officially named 'Tengragiri forest', locally it is known as 'Fatrarban'. The name was given in 1967. According to estimates at the time, the area of the forest was 13,644 acres.

Based on a survey in 1927, the government declared it a reserved forest in 1960. Various types of trees grow there, including keora, gewa, sundari, goran, jam, dhundal, bain, karmocha and boli kewa. Various animals live there too. The Sonakata eco-park has been established there. 

The forest department said such erosion has been going on for 15 years. The sea enters 250 meters into the forest on average every year.

Forest experts said there are different layers in the formation of a mangrove forest. Uri trees grow along the coast after the formation of land, then the land becomes strong and the uri trees die. Then keora and gewa trees grow.

When soil becomes stronger, sundari, goran, and other trees grow.

A scientific study has to be carried out to know why the trees are dying. Otherwise, the existence of Tengragiri will be at stake, they warned.

Barisal unit coordinator of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), Lincoln Bayen said alongside the Sundarbans, Tengragiri forest has been protecting the coastal areas from various natural calamities. This forest also plays role in maintaining environmental balance.

He thinks if the forest is lost, this would have a seriously negative impact on the climate and the environment. It is very unfortunate that there are no initiatives to protect such an important forest, he said.

*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.