This paper clearly shows that propagating bamboos from material other than seed is possible. Propagation of bamboos from offsets is well known and practised in village groves. The development of planting material from branch cuttings is a two-stage operation. The first is the striking of roots and the other, the development of a rhizome. Getting vigorous rooted stock is not enough because this does not always develop rhizomes ; for this the biological condition of the buds is very important. In bamboos, successful planting material must have all the characters of growing clumps, the most important of which is the production of new culms. Though offsets are a good propagating material, these are not suitable for large scale plantations due to handling difficulties, long branch cuttings with swollen basal nodes and 2-3 branch nodes physiologically similar and can be made branch 18-20 inch are morphologically and to function like the offset in suitable conditions. Such cuttings develop into good planting material in 6-30 months, depending on the biological condition of the cutting and the period of the year when the cuttings were taken. The superiority of the branch cutting over the offset is in the fact that it is easy to raise, economic to produce, and convenient to transport. At the moment the percentage of success is low, and further research in the factors governing the production of planting material from branch cuttings is necessary.

The numerous islands constituting the littoral forests of the Sundarbans have been formed by river-borne silts of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra, the two main rivers of Bangladesh. The forests lie between latitudes 21°30’N and 22°31’N and between longitudes 89°E and 90°E.

The productive forest lands of 939820 acres of the Sundarbans produce only 15 million cubic feet of wood per annum at the present (1971)-one acre produces only 16 eft of timber per acre per annum. This poor yield is perhaps due to the inclusion of varied crops under one management plan, an improper management system, ill supervision and the complete reliance on nature for regeneration. The present (1971) poor yield of 16 eft of timber per acre per annum may still go down if proper attention is not given to restocking the forests under an efficient system of management instead of the current selection system.

At least two of the main littoral species, sundri and gewa can be managed in even-aged stands.

The Bangladesh Energy Study, sponsored by the Planning Commission and published a year ago, reviewed the estimates and surveys made of fuelwood consumption and requirements in the country. It concluded that the consumption of domestic firewood and other forms of vege.tativc fuels is unknown.
Since the use of wood as fuel far exceeds other uses in volume importance a proper study is now considered necessary.

The paper describes the main physical, economic and statistical determinants of fuelwood consumption in Bangladesh. It proceeds to describe survey methods and strategy for determining this statistic. Supply estimates are then briefly described.

Forest and forest products have provided food, shelter, clothing and other necessities of life to human beings since pre-historic days. With the development of knowledge, men gradually discovered better ways of living. Along with that they discovered better uses of forests and forest products. Thus, at different levels of the advancement of human civilization, men have utilized the forest and forest products in different ways to meet their socioeconomic needs. While men of the Stone Age were satisfied with their abodes in forest caves, eating roots, shoots and fruits of trees and having the leaves and barks of trees as their clothing, the modern men have found other uses for forests and forest products to cater to their socio-economic needs. Forests and trees today, therefore help men in agricultural development, industrial growth, economic advancement, recreation, environmental control and meet the demands of the human being in all walks of life, from cradle to coffin. It is an irony that realization of the importance of forests has been quite jalc. Nevertheless, this late realisation if properly implemented by different nations of the world might save the human being from total destruction. To arouse public consciousness concerning (i) the significance of forest wealth (ii) the direct and indirect benefits derived from the forests and (iii) the importance of forest as a factor in nature conservation the World Forestry Day is being celebrated on the 21st of March every year indifferent countries of the world.

Urea formaldehyde resin extended with 0,50,100 and 150 percent of wheat flour based on dry resin weight was used in the manufacture of three-ply 3/16″ thick plywood with civit veneer. Veneer moisture contents of 6 and 12 percent and specific pressures of 150, 200 and 250 psi, applied during hot pressing, were the other variables. The quality of glue bond was evaluated by the dry plywood shear test and warm-water plywood shear test.

The dry test shows that with wheat flour extension, reduction in the bond strength is statistically significant. However, even the extended glue mixes produce adequate bond. The wet test shows that upto 50 percent extension, there is no significant reduction in the bond strength but 150 percent extension produces a very poor bond.

In the dry shear test, a significantly (1% level) higher bond strength is found at 6 percent than at a 12 percent moisture content level although in the wet tests no difference can be detected. This phenomenon can be well explained in the light of the “Water-Monolayer Theory of adhesion”. According to this theory, an adhensive adheres to the wood through a layer of water and the optimum bond takes place when a monolayer is present in the substrate. This monolayer condition is attained at about ten percent equilibrium moisture content for most of the wood species. Wood, conditioned to six percent equilibrium moisture content, attains the monolayer condition by absorbing water from the glue-mix. This is the reason of higher bond strength of plywood made with veneer conditioned to six percent moisture content as revealed by the dry test. However, during the wet tests, plywood absorbs more water and thereby destroys this monolayer condition as a consequence of which no difference is detected in the bond strength between the two moisture content levels.

For adequate water resistance, urea formaldehyde resin may be extended with wheat flour upto 50 percent though for less exacting purposes an extension upto 150 percent may be employed. A specific pressure of 200-250 psi should be used for hot pressing civit plywood. The moisture content of veneer for making plywood using urea formaldehyde resin should be about six percent for optimum gluing.

Rauwolfia serpentina is one of the most important medicinal plants. It is widely used in the treatment of high blood pressure, insanity and insomnia. In the forest areas of Bangladesh, the existence of this plant is very sporadic. The objective of this work, therefore, was to explore the possibility of its commercial cultivation with the aim to increase the percentage of germination by different chemical and mechanical treatments.

This paper gives the experience of a tour study in the Sundarbans forest by the author and Dr. Hubert Hcndrich, a West German Zoologist during 1970. It also deals with the present status of wildlife population in Bangladesh. Some hints have also been given regarding suitable sites for recreational purposes in Bangladesh.

There are more than 500 tropical hardwood species and a number of grass and bamboo species in Bangladesh. Only a handful of these are, at present, used for the manufacture of pulp, paper, fibreboard and rayon. Sundri and gewa of the Sunderbans and a number of hardwood species of the Chittagong area are used for the manufacture of paper and fibre boards. Rice straw and bagasse are also used for the same purpose. Besides, some bamboo species of the Chittagong Hill Tracts and three grass species of Sylhet district are, at present, used for the manufacture of pulp and rayon. Most of the other minor hardwood and grass species have practically no industrial use.

In this study, 20 minor hardwood species and 20 grass species of Bangladesh have been taken up with a view to determine their suitability for the manufacture of pulp. Runkel ratio, flexibility co-efficient and relative fibre length have been found out from the fibre length, fibre diameter, cell-wall thickness and lumen diameter of the fibres. From those data the tensile strength, tearing resistance and general suitability of the fibres for the manufacture of pulp and paper could be estimated. From the Runkel ratio obtained, it can be predicted that most of the species under study will be suitable for the manufacture of quality paper. Only Kannari and Jaikkagola among the wood species, daloo and lata bans from the bamboo species and nal, ikra and khagra among the grass species are likely to yield moderate quality pulp.

In Bangladesh the Tropical Moist Deciduous Sal Forests were studied in Madhupur Garh. Sal (Shorea robusta) has got a density of 87 trees out of the total 233 trees per acre. The basal area of sal is 56 sft per acre (that is 48.7% of the total) and it has got a 100% frequency distribution.

The paper explores the statistical ground of preparing forest working plans and
provides a tentative list of required data and studies. It is observed that the
insufficiency of required data and lack of studies have resulted in serious shortcomings
in the present working plans of Bangladesh. The targets are not found to be
established on an analytical basis and the prescriptions and programmes do not
reflect the true requirements of the economy. Thus the plans are not consistent
with the objective of producing the maximum contribution to the society. In order
to improve the quality of the working plans it has become urgently necessary to
develop forestry sector statistics in Bangladesh. The paper suggests steps for accelerating
developments in this respect. The steps are concerned with institutional
changes, provision of adequate field staff and funds, organising training programmes
and formulation of a plan for statistical development by the Working Plans Division
of the Forest Department in close co-operation with the Planning Commission
and the Forest Research Institute.