Current Status and Potentiality of Forest Resources in a Proposed Biodiversity Conservation Area of Bangladesh

An exploratory study was conducted in Juri Forest Range-2, a proposed biodiversity conservation area of Bangladesh to explore the present growing stock of tree, regeneration condition and status of non-timber forest products (NTFPs). This conservation area contains both natural and artificial plantation was selected by using multistage random sampling method. For determination of plot size and sampling methods, the quadrate size ($10m{\times}10m$) for tree stock measurement, ($2m{\times}2m$) for regeneration survey, ($20m{\times}20m$) for NTFPs survey was determined. Regarding tree stock survey, 14 species under eight families were found where Tectona grandis shows average number of stem/ha was 624 and basal area/ha was (10.36 $m^2/ha$) followed by Acacia auriculiformis (0.2 $m^2/ha$ and 637 stem/ha), Gmelina arborea (0.2 $m^2/ha$ and 600 stem/ha). In regeneration survey, 14 species were found belonging to 9 families where Alstonia scholaris shows highest (3,750) seedling per hectare. Regarding NTFPs, bamboo and cane are the most common resources. In last ten years, the total timber output was 1,28,596.14 cubic feet and total amount of revenue was 4,64,434 US$. The vacant area is 1,335.5 acre which contains 14% of total area. If this vacant area is planted with suitable species and take proper steps for appropriate management of this species it will be a good biologically diversified area.