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.

The furniture and joinery industries of Bangladesh mostly use manual labour and hand tools both in manufacture and in surface finishing. Modern woodworking machines have been introduced on a very small scale in the recent past, but they have not met with much success due to the lack of proper technical know-how
and trained personnel. These industries are expected to expand. As the general economic conditions improve and per capita income rises, there will be need for an increased production of furniture and joinery.

An investigation was made to determine the possibility of making sulphate pulp from rubber wood (Hevea brasiliensis). The pulp obtained was low in yield and the permanganate number was very high ranging from 12.35 to 24.44 predicting a high bleach requirement. The physical strength properties of the pulps were moderate. Rubber wood pulp showed promise to be used for making moderate quality wrapping, bag and average quality printing papers.

Jam (Syzygium grandis), because of its availability and strength properties, was considered for substituting garjan ( Dipterocarpus spp. ) for making railway sleepers. Since treatment with creosote is normally the part of the manufacturing process for railway sleepers from nondurable wood, jam heartwood was treated with Lowry empty cell process using 40 ; 60 creosote-petroleum oil preservative in order to develop a treating schedule for jam sleeper. Treatments were performed with the various combinations of treating schedules with or without the pretreatment ot steaming-vacuum or incision. None of the treatments, however, could achieve penetration and retention recommended for the purpose of railway sleepers