Characteristics of Coastal Afforestation

Concept of Coastal Afforestation

The natural forest conservation and afforestation in the coastal regions of Bangladesh has been reached at danger due to salinity and repeated natural calamities. The environmental balance of these coastal regions influences environmental balance of the entire country. For this reason, making coastal green prevaricate by cultivating salinity tolerant crops and planting trees tolerant to salinity, tidal surge and cyclone in the coastal areas is essential. If it is possible to execute this plan, besides escaping human, livestock and natural resources from natural calamities the coastal inhabitants can also be economically benefitted.

Characteristics of Trees Used for Coastal Afforestation 

The coastal forest areas are also called saline soil areas. Saline soil regions include the coastal areas of Bagerhat, Khulna, Satkhira, Patuakhali, Barguna, Bhola, Barisal and surroundings char regions. The main tree species of these regions are- coconut, hogplum, date, babla, cashew nut, shirish, rain tree, plum, tamarind, betel nut, olive etc. But jaho and debdaru plants are also remarkable as coastal plants. These plants have desert characteristics, therefore they can adapt to coastal regions by tolerating salinity. Sudry, gaoa, kaoa, kakra, bain, garan, golpata etc. plants grow well in highly saline soils of coastal regions. These plants have some special characteristics to adapt salinity.

1. The plants selected for coastal regions should have extensive root system. For this reason, coconut, betel nut or other monocotyledonous plants should be more in coastal regions. Since the extent of roots of these plants is larger, the soil erosion control becomes easier. But in case of afforestation in coastal barrage, tree should be planted in more than one row like that of roads.
2. The location in which tree are planted in coastal barrage is highly sloped. For this reason, trees are planted in rows. The tree should be planted in alternate arrangement in rows. Actually though the trees are planted maintaining wider distance, the distance between trees is maintained 2m � 1m. Consequently, the efficiency of soil erosion is increased.
3. The coastal plants have desert characteristics, such as thick cuticles on leaf. For this reason, these plants are of drought tolerant.
4. They can survive by facing hazards like cyclone etc. Because, their stems are very tall and hard and they have less number of branches. For example, coconut, gajari, date, plum, jhao, akashmoni, babla, debdaru etc.
5. The coastal barrages are used as shelter of cattle and goats during calamities. Therefore, fodder crops are also planted there. For example, ipil- ipil, akashmoni, dhaincah etc.
6. The plants which can tolerate submergence and salinity should be planted for coastal afforestation.
7. The plants having hard and tall stem; small leaves and can tolerate debranching can be selected for coastal afforestation. For example, shishu, babla, karoi, date, plum etc plants.