Strengthening afforestation

A concerted effort led by the government to augment afforestation is the need of the hour

The World Environment Day was observed in Bangladesh as elsewhere in the world amid some disturbing realities. According to global environment experts, the accepted standard is that a country must have at least 25 per cent of its total land area covered with forests to maintain the ecological balance. According to the Department of Forest (DoF), the country has now 13.2 per cent forest coverage, but many environmentalists believe that it is an inflated figure as the real forest coverage will not be more than 7-9 per cent.
However, having failed to achieve its earlier target to increase the country’s forest coverage to 20 per cent by 2015, the DoF has now set a goal afresh to have 15 per cent vegetation coverage by 2021 through strengthening its afforestation programme. It is expected that this time DoF achieves success.
Being an overpopulated country, Bangladesh is facing shortage of agricultural lands due to construction of dwelling houses, setting up of industries and unplanned urbanization. Acreage of forest lands is also decreasing. But what is shocking to note that the disaster is mainly man-made. A section of unscrupulous people are playing havoc with the greenery of the country. The importance of forest resources of a country is immense for maintaining the balance of nature, environment, ecology and biodiversity.
The trees that constitute the 7 per cent forest lands are being cut down indiscriminately. Scores of saw mills have sprung up without valid papers though, according to law, saw mills cannot be set up within 10 kilometres of reserved, protected or vested government forests. The illegal timber traders and their cohorts are making quick bucks dealing a serious blow to the environment and biodiversity of the country.
Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world that the country can take pride in, has also fallen prey to the vicious claws of the timber bandits. Scores of valuable trees of the forest have been cut down and looted during the past few years. Besides, trees are being burnt in brick kilns indiscriminately for burning bricks despite the ban on the use of the same. A section of owners of brick fields are engaged in this malpractice.
If the present trend of widespread destruction of trees goes on in the country, it will leave a serious impact on the environment, ecology and biodiversity of the country. A concerted effort led by the government to augment afforestation in the country is the need of the hour. Creation of mass awareness can also bring the desired results. 

Strengthening afforestation

A concerted effort led by the government to augment afforestation is the need of the hour

The World Environment Day was observed in Bangladesh as elsewhere in the world amid some disturbing realities. According to global environment experts, the accepted standard is that a country must have at least 25 per cent of its total land area covered with forests to maintain the ecological balance. According to the Department of Forest (DoF), the country has now 13.2 per cent forest coverage, but many environmentalists believe that it is an inflated figure as the real forest coverage will not be more than 7-9 per cent. However, having failed to achieve its earlier target to increase the countrys forest coverage to 20 per cent by 2015, the DoF has now set a goal afresh to have 15 per cent vegetation coverage by 2021 through strengthening its afforestation programme. It is expected that this time DoF achieves success. Being an overpopulated country, Bangladesh is facing shortage of agricultural lands due to construction of dwelling houses, setting up of industries and unplanned urbanization. Acreage of forest lands is also decreasing. But what is shocking to note that the disaster is mainly man-made. A section of unscrupulous people are playing havoc with the greenery of the country. The importance of forest resources of a country is immense for maintaining the balance of nature, environment, ecology and biodiversity. The trees that constitute the 7 per cent forest lands are being cut down indiscriminately. Scores of saw mills have sprung up without valid papers though, according to law, saw mills cannot be set up within 10 kilometres of reserved, protected or vested government forests. The illegal timber traders and their cohorts are making quick bucks dealing a serious blow to the environment and biodiversity of the country. Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world that the country can take pride in, has also fallen prey to the vicious claws of the timber bandits. Scores of valuable trees of the forest have been cut down and looted during the past few years. Besides, trees are being burnt in brick kilns indiscriminately for burning bricks despite the ban on the use of the same. A section of owners of brick fields are engaged in this malpractice. If the present trend of widespread destruction of trees goes on in the country, it will leave a serious impact on the environment, ecology and biodiversity of the country. A concerted effort led by the government to augment afforestation in the country is the need of the hour. Creation of mass awareness can also bring the desired results.