It is a Tour Report on Sundarban Mangrove forest of Bangladesh part.

1. A Tour Report
on
Sundarban Mangrove Forest
Submitted by:
Md. Anisur Rahman
8th
semester
B.sc (hons) in Forestry
Id: 11208013
Session: 2010-2011
Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciencess,
Chittagong University

2. Introduction:
As a student of B.Sc (hons) in Forestry, we have to attend several field trips in each semester. In 8th
semester, recently we visited the largest mangrove forest of the world. A field trip always triggers our
boundary of theoretical knowledge with practical situations. We learned about the unique features of
Sundarban Mangrove Forest.
A detailed map of Sundarban mangrove forest:
:

3. Date 8th
January, 2017
Place Sundarbans Mangrove Forest, Khulna
Organizer
1. Dr. Mohammad Shafiul Alam
Professor
2. Dr. Mohammed Kamal Hossain
Professor
3. Mohammad Main Uddin
Associate Professor
4. Dr. Md. Aktar Hossain
Professor
Participants
Students,
6th
and 8th
Semester,
Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences,
Chittagong University
Resource person
1. Mahmudul Hasan Polash
Forester
2. F. M. Hemayet Uddin
Acting Officer
3. Sheikh Kaiyum
Forest Guard
4. Md. Hamidul Hoque
Accounts Officer
5. Mr. Khalil
Tour Guide
Visited places
1. Supoti Forest Station
2. Kochikhali Wildlife Sanctuary
3. Jamtola
4. Kotka Wildlife Sanctuary
5. Heron point
6. Alorkul
7. Harbaria Ecotourism Centre
8. Koromjol
Tour Duration 8 January, 2017 to 13 January, 2017
(5 days)

4. Sundarban: An overview
The Sundarban is a unique and largest contiguous natural mangrove forest in the
world. The Sundarban lies between latitudes 21'39 and 22'30N and longitudes 89'01 and 89'52
in the southern most parts. It is situated in the southern part of Satkhira, Khulna and
Bagerhat districts, the south-western region of Bangladesh. It has an area about
10000 km2
, of which Bangladesh possessed 6017 km2
and the rest belongs to
neighboring country India. Sundarbans is 4.2% of the country’s land area and 44% of
the state forest land. It forms southern most of the Ganges and Brahamaputra river
deltas and is shaped by the complex drainage structure. Topographic variation within
this delta is very low. The forest floor lies between 0.9 m to 2.1 m above sea level.
The drainage system of Sundarban has three sub systems to the east, centre and west,
which formed the estuaries of Bangra, Kunga and Raimangal. The whole area is
dissected by large tidal river, notably the Baleswar, Passur, Kobadak-Sibsha,
Arpangasia and Raimangal with innumerable small channels and creeks.
Approximately 450 rivers are flown through this mangrove forest and the length of
these rivers are 12,500 km. The proportion of salinity and the distribution of tree
species composition define the zonation of Sundarban. These are the freshwater zone,
moderately saltwater zone and saltwater zone. Sundri (Heritiera fomes) is the
characteristic species of the freshwater zone. The forest of the moderately saltwater
zone is mixture of gewa (Excoecaria agallocha) and sundri with varying amounts of
goran (Ceriops decandra) and other species. The forest in the saltwater zone is
dominated by goran with anover storey of gewa, passur (Xylocarpus mekongensis)
and dhandal (Xylocarpus granatum).
Management overview of Sundarban Mangrove Forest:
Sundarban Mangrove Forest is solely managed under the direct supervision of
Bangladesh Forest Division. Administratively it is divided into two divisions and four
ranges.
Divisions are:
1. Sundarban East Division
2. Sundarban West Division

5. Ranges are:
1. Soronkhola Range
2. Chandpai Range
3. Burigualini Range
4. Khulna Range
This forest have 3 wildlife sanctuaries. These are-
1. Sundarban East Wildlife Sanctuary
2. Sundarban West Wildlife Sanctuary
3. Sundarban South Wildlife Sanctuary
Apart from these, Sundarbans have two exclusive dolphin sanctuary.
Working circles of Sundarban:
1. Sundari working circle
2. Gewa working circle
3. Keora working circle
4. Goolpata working circle
5. Firewood working circle
6. Wildlife and ecotourism working circle
7. Fisheries resources working circle
8. Mixed working circle

6. Biodiversity of Sundarbans:
Name Species number
Plants 334
Mammal 49
Reptile 87
Fish 300
Bird 355
Amphibian 14
Name Approximate number
Tiger 106
Deer 1-1.5 millions
Monkey 40-50 thousands
Wild boar 20-25 thousands
Crocodile 150-200
Dolphin 20-265 thousands
Key information recorded from the tour diary:
2nd
Day Of Sundarban:
 Dhangmari Gate—Entry of Sundarban
 Mangrove silviculture –BFRI (Mangrove Division)
 Rivers—450
 Length of all rivers—12500km
 Rupsha (Khulna)
 Poshur (Mongla)
 World Mangrove position—6th
 Total area—10000 sq km
 Bangladesh—6017 sqkm (62%)
 India—3083 sqkm (38%)
 Age—Sundarban mangrove (7000 years), Chakaria sundarban (10,000 years, 8510 ha
area, declared 1903)

7. Mangrove species characteristics:
1. Pneumetaphore
2. Root penetration
3. Salt gland
4. Muddy sediment
5. Viviparous germination
6. Leaf succulent
7. Selective ion transport
Mangrove species :
Scientific Name Family Local name Type of plant
Avicennia officinalis Avicenniaceae Baen Tree
Bruguiera gymnorrhiza Rhizophoraceae Kankra Tree
Cynometra ramiflora Leguminosae Shingra Shrub
Excoecaria agallocha Euphorbiaceae Gewa Tree
Heritiera fomes Sterculiaceae Sundri Tree
Nypa fruticans Palmae Golpatta Palm with underground stem
Phoenix paludosa Palmae Hantal Thorny palm
 Red mangrove: Rhizophorus
 Black mangrove: Sundari, Baen
 White mangrove: Gewa
 World 31% Forest (4 billion hector)
 World 114 mangrove species ( 66 genus, 43 families)
 Bangladesh – (68-69) mangrove species
 Royal Bengal Tiger—
 2004—UNDP—440 tigers
 2006—200 tigers (not published camera trial)
 2010—(400-450) tigers (FD and wildlife trust of BD)
 2015—106 tigers (peg mark camera trial)
 Others animals—
 Mammals—49 species
 Reptile – 87 species
 Fish – 300 sp
 Bird – 350 sp
 Amphibian—14 sp
 Total—505 species overall

8.  People dependent: 30-35 lakh
 Annual value of sundarban: 7115.20 M/USD or 56921 crore taka (1 year)
 Ecological critical area: around 10 km of sundarban
 13 no ECA – Sylhet (Jaflong)—Dahuk river
 14 no ECA—Halda river
 Per hector Sundari tree:
 1959 year—296 ha trees—Sundari 211 pieces per ha
 1983 year—180 ha trees—Sundari 125 pieces per ha
 1996 year—144 ha trees—Sundari 106 pieces per ha
 2020 year—109 ha trees—Sundari 80 pieces per ha
 Area of Sundarban by FAO in Bangladesh:
 1777—11,256 sq km
 1841—9279 sq km
 2015—5467 sq km (FAO)
 Succession- 2 types
 In the south-west (SW) region, along the upper catchment area of the rivers in the
Sundarban, more than 41 polders have been constructed, mainly to control salinity and
high tide intrusion into the agricultural fields
 NCC: Non cover crop area
 Salinity types:
 Strong saline –more than 4 ppt
 Moderate saline—2-4 ppt
 Fresh saline—less than 2 ppt
 1991 Cyclone—4 billion taka loss
 15 November, 2007 (Sidr)—
 Affected families 2,064,026
 Affected persons 8,923,259
 Dead people 3,363
 Injured people 55,282
 Missing people 871
 Damaged houses 1,518,942
 Damage to crops in hectare 1,512,878
 Damage to trees 4,065,316
 Total livestock dead 2,634,069

9.  Damage to educational Institutions (full & partial) 16,954
 Damage to road (complete & partial) in km 8,075
 Damaged embankment (km) 1,875
 Damage to bridges and culverts 1,687

 Elevation area are depending on sea level rise:
Elevation area Sea level rise
.2% Less than 50cm
2.83% .5m-1m
10.49% 1m-1.5m
20.53% 1.5m-2.5m
28.79% 2m-2.5m
22.88% 2.5m-3m
10.44% 3m-3.5m
2.94% 3.5m-4m
.8% More than 4m
3rd
Day of Sundarban(Kachikhali,Kotka jamtola beach,Kotka wildlife sanctuary):
 Gewa- slow growing species, Eat- wild bore
 Two island: Pokkhir chor, Dimer chor
 Forest department tried to establish agricultural crops but failed for inundation.
 Some pictures of Kachikhali wildlife sanctuary:

10.  Kotka jamtola Beach area:
 Dominant species: Goran
 Other species: Nunia, Jhau, Keora, Gewa, Tiger farns, Hetal, Sundari
 3 portions
 40-50% velocity loss—around 50 km belt
 Sundarban N-S approx. 80 km
 Plot Sample Data:
 For regeneration: 5m*5m
 Regeneration: 15
 Pneumatophore: Sundari (550), Gewa (50)
 Plot size: 20m*20m
 Total number of species :96
 Gewa: 52
 Keora: 1
 Sundari: 43
 Inundation: 96cm
 55 compartment (Bangladesh), 20 compartment (India)
 3 wildlife sanctuary:
 Sundarban East (Kotka, Kachikhali, Sumoti) , 31227 ha

11.  Sundarban west (Nilkamal,Duberki), 36971 ha
 Sundarban west (Lotabeki, Mundorbari, Pushpokhali), 71502 ha
 Animals: Tiger, deer, bore, monkey
 CWD: Coarse woody debris
 FWD: Fine woody debris
 Alur pol: famous for dry fish
 Bay of Bengal: 1 lakh 18,000 km square, Bangladesh rights 664km
 Fish caught in bay of Bengal: Bangladesh, Thailand, Srilanka, India
 Total fish: 80 lakh tons, Bangladesh caught 1 lakh ton only
 Blue economy: based on sea resources
 Proposed park: N-E of coxsbazar
 Dolphin sanctuary: 2
 Collection of Hetal per year: 1000 m. ton
 Collection of Grass per year: 4700 mton
 Collection of Honey per year: 130 ton
 Shoronkhola range:Therabaka, Panir Ghat, Bhola, Tasher vabani,
Morabhola, Charua, Chorkhali, Supathi, Shapla, Dudhmukhi, Kochikhali
etc.
 Chadpai range:Chadpai Station, Choraputia, Amurpunia, Gulishkhali,
Koromjal,Moraposhur, Harbaria, Bighamari etc
 Dubra jela Palli: Choto ambaria, Boro ambaria, Malikkhali, Narikelbaria,
Meherali, Majherkilla, Kokilmuni, Ziarchor etc
 BLC: Boat licenses certificate
 10000 tk per seasons (3-4 months)
 200 tk per day/launch
 20 tk per student
 50tk (Bangladesh), 350 tk (Foreigner) –with camera
 10tk (Bangladesh, --with no camera
 400 per day guard (2 persons)
 Bangladesh researchers (30tk)
 Foreign researchers (100tk)
 Child (10tk)
 Problems: Manpower, Budget, Communication, Safety, image crisis etc
 Economic valuation:
1. Provisioning (Honey ,food)
2. Regulatory ( cyclone, water cycle)

12. 3. Supporting ( wildlife, breeding site)
4. Cultural ( rashmela)
4th
Day of Sundarban (Hiron point, Dublar char):
 Heron point (80 km area)
 Ecotourism and tourist
 Animals: tiger, deer, monkey, monitor, crocodile, birds
 Plants: sundari, gewa, posur, Baen, kakra, keora, shingra, goran, golpata
 Visitor: (October to February)
 Drinking water—filtration—rain water harvest
 Solid waste: incineration
 Honey: Khalshi(white), Goran(Deep)
 No pharmacy at Alorkul
 No help – Rab, police, coastguard
 Rashmela—karthik season
 Vegetation type in Sundarban: (17)
I. Sundari—gewa
II. Sundari—passur
III. Sundari—passur—kakra
IV. Only gewa
V. Gewa—goran
VI. Gewa—sundari
VII. Only goran
VIII. Garan—gewa
IX. Passur—keora
X. Possur—kakra—baen
XI. Only baen
XII. Kewra
 Ramsar Site: 560, land area: 411230 ha, water area: 189156 ha
 Language: kolla, kalabon, Ghugu( small boat), Boro mistry (Tiger), Machi (robbers),
Barani (crossing between canal and river)
 13 char land at Dublarchar
 2 Dolphin sanctuary

13. 5th
Day of Sundarban ( Harbaria ecotourism center, Karamjal ecotourism center)
 Foot trail : 2km
 Tiger : 3
 Plant: Sundari, keora, baen, Possur, Kakra
 Animals: Deer, wild cock, monkey, tiger
 Sundari—Top dying
 Deer, Monkey, Crocodile breeding (Karamjal)
 Romio-juliet (karamjal )
 Water collection—pond
Limitation:
 Lack of man power
 Budget scarcity
 Communication problem
 Sedimentation
 Lack of logistic support
 Planning
 Lack of co-ordination of different department
 Image crisis
Conclusion:
Study tour or field trip or practical classes always make a clear sense about theoretical
knowledge. Sundarban covers almost half of Bangladesh’s total forest area. So, if we didn’t
have the opportunity of this tour we would be in dark about the magnificent features of
mangrove forests. As a student of forestry, I am really grateful to my honorable teachers and also
to my beloved institute for letting us enjoy and learn about one of the most unique ecosystems of
the earth. Having visited Sundarban, now our forestry knowledge level has been upgraded to a
new height. Importance of Sundarban Mangrove Forest is something that can’t be understands
without understanding the complex ecosystem of Sundarbans. Our most awaited tour gave us
that opportunity. Now we are done with visiting major forest types of Bangladsh. As, it was our
last academic tour, I think it’s time to implement the gathered knowledge in developing our
country’s forestry sector.