Hie coastal environment of Bangladesh
is highly unstable due to direct exposure of
the wind and wave action of the Bay of
Bengal, Moreover, the lite and properties of
die coastal area is alway s at risk (Saenger and
Siddiqi 1993). The newly accreted coastal
lands are not .suitable for any land practices
except afforestation because of a number of
unpredictable geo-morphological changes,
viz. rapid accretion, sand smoothon ing,
sediment winnowing and rapid sillation or
sand dune movements (Das and Biddiqi
1985). Hie pneumatophores of coastal
plantation species spread up laterally and
persist within (he silt layer for a longer time
which also hasten the procedure of
depositing and fixing sills, and thus helps in
stabilization of lands (Siddiqi 2(MH).
Bangladesh is a pioneer country for coastal
plantations (Siddiqi 2001). It is believed that a
permanent green belt along the shoreline and
near the shore and offshore islands of
Bangladesh would considerable reduce the
losses incurred from Ute frequent cyclones
and tidal surges, 11 will abo increase forest
resources and provide ecological security to
the whole coastal area.