Bangladesh has three major types of forests, i.e., hill forests, inland sal forests and tidal forests. Hill forests of Bangladesh are located in Chittagong Hill Tract North and South divisions, Chittagong division, Cox's Bazar division and Sylhet forest division. The silvicultural system clear felling, followed by artificial regeneration, is adopted in hill forest. The rotation is varied with the species.
Hill forests harvesting code: all the harvesting is done by open auction but separately for trees and bamboos. All auction activity is controlled by the respective Divisional Forest Officer. The pre-enlisted Mahaldar can only participate in tendering.
The area which will be felled is divided into different lots depending on quality and quantity of trees. The tenderers have to submit a separate tender for each lot.
Tender is invited for cutting of trees from a lot, converting them to logs, transporting it up to a depot and making lots for auction, according to the direction of the forest authority.
The tenderer who succeeded in auction has to submit a list of his all workers, agents, watchers, drivers or any other person in favour of him with their permanent address and three copies of the certificate from the concerned chairman and entering permission shall be taken from Divisional Forest Officer to go and work in the forest area. Permission shall be taken for any replacement.
The succeeded tenderer shall have submitted a list of equipment and tools like dao, axe, saw, vehicle, etc. which will be used to implement the work and permission for using the equipment and tools shall be taken from DFO.
The tenderer will cut only pre-marked trees from a lot at the maximum stamp height four inches (4") by using cross cut saw. The branches of the trees shall be cut so deliberately making the bole smooth. The cut trees will be topped where the girth is twelve inches (12") by mewing cross cut saw.
The cut trees will be logged according to the direction of the authority and the desirable length of the log is 14', 12', 7' or 5'. At the big end, each log shall be marked with log number and tree number with digit, the tree number shall be laid above the log number. Log number and tree number shall be written at both ends of each log by using red paint. Log length and log girth shall be written opposite to the log number at both ends of each log. Log girth is measured at the middle of each log where debarked. Tree numbers must be digital on the stump of the tree. The prescribed silvicultural system in this type of forest is clear felling followed by artificial regeneration with valuable species with a rotation of 40 years (long rotation) and 18 years (short rotation).
The cut branches whose minimum length five feet (5') and girth at small end one foot (1') must be treated as a log. The rest are cut branches whose minimum girth six inches (6") shall be used as fuelwood. All branches (fuelwood) shall be cut to a desirable length and arranged in a lot in the depot and marked by hammering (now it is banned for the time being).
Hill Forest Harvesting Code
In some forest areas, trees are sold by direct auction. In this system, felling coupe and trees are marked and the trees which have been listed for felling is labelled by the marking hammer. Two markings for each tree is done, first marking on its stump and second marking on d.b.h. So after felling trees can be easily identified according to their stumps. Branches are removed and the logs are produced according to desired length. Logs produced from a tree have a serial number, are marked and log length/girth is recorded as stated before. The standing tree marking is done by forest authority but other activities are done by succeeded purchaser. Logs are then transported to the depot where they are marked by sale hammer by forest authority finally the purchaser is allowed to move the logs with transit pass issued by forest authority.
Harvesting Code of Bamboo
Forest bamboo is harvested by tendering and all activity is controlled by the Divisional Forest Officer. Tenders are invited to sell the bamboo Mahal. Bamboos are harvested by selective felling of nature bamboo with 3-4 year cutting cycle.
Any young bamboo cutting is strictly prohibited. Moreover, 4 mature bamboos must be retained in each clump with young bamboos. Special care shall be taken during cutting of mature bamboos so that it does not damage any young bamboos, stump height will not be more than one foot (1'). Bamboo harvesting is prohibited in growing season of young bamboo which ranges from 16 June to 15 August in each year.
All cut bamboo shall be stocked at the depot and shall be checked by concerned the Forest Officer. The depotted bamboo shall be moved anywhere with a `Transit Pass' which is issued from the concerned forest office.
The Sunderban Forests
The tidal forests are managed under selection cum improvement system followed by natural regeneration with a felling cycle of 20 years. This felling cycle of 20 years is still maintained today although the harvestable diameter for the main species have been lowered. Due to over fellings and felling of smaller diameter class trees during the liberation war and subsequently, the composition and structure of Sunderbans has changed from that of a typical selection forest. The top drying and dying of Sundri trees, a serious damage to the forest, has aggravated this problem. In order to restore the normalcy needed for a selection type of forest, severe restrictions on the felling of smaller sized trees for fuelwood are required.
The major species in Sundarbans, are Sundri (Heritiera fomer), Gewa (Excoecaria mekongensis), Keora (Sonneratia apetala), Baen (Avicennia officinalis), Kakra (Bruguiera gymnorrhiza), Goran (Ceriops decandra), Golpata (Nypa fruticans), etc.
General Marking and Felling Code
Felling coupe is divided into sections of 40 acres. The trees of exploitable diameter and all unsound, badly shaped and defective trees are marked. Marking is done by forest authority itself. The trees which will be felled would be hammer-marked at a height of 4 feet and 6 inches, and at the base. The base mark should be as low down as possible in order to economize timber. In order to prevent theft, each section should be marked with a hammer dissimilar to those used in the adjoining sections.
After a coupe has been marked, the trees, as listed, should be sold by auction section by section. Purchasers fell all the marked trees and make into logs. All logs are digital marked according to the tree number. Before loading their marked logs and poles into boats, purchasers will spread them out on ghats on the banks of rivers and khais, the coupe officer will check the hammer marks, and mark the logs on the battered part with the passing hammer.
Sundri Harvesting Code
The silvicultural treatment prescribed is the selection system, along with restricted thinnings and stand improvement removals. The merchantable diameter limits set for site qualities I, II and III are 12" (29 cm), 9" (22 cm), 8" (19 cm) d.b.h. and above respectively. Felling cycle 20 years.
In the process of cutting, the annual coupe is divided into sections of approximately 40 acres each by making north-south and east-west lines 20 chains apart. All unsound, badly shaped, top dying or otherwise defective trees are marked provided their removal does not create a permanent gap. The main felling operations consisting of removal of trees marked above exploitable diameter and thinning operation are carried out during the year in which the coupe is prescribed to be worked. After the sections are worked for main felling, subsidiary felling for fuel by thinning starts. In order to prevent theft, each section is marked with a hammer different from that used in the adjoining sections. Similarly, different hammers are used in thinning marking for subsidiary felling in different areas. After completion of main felling and subsidiary in a coupe, it is opened for removal of brush wood and dry fuelwood.
In the allocation of Sundri fellings, priority must be given to the salvaging of Sundri affected by top-dying. The allocation should favour the removal of such material, however, not to the extent of clear felling an area. The marking of this material should not exceed the following:
Dead: All standing dead trees where present will be marked for removal for fuelwood. Where the marking of dead stems for felling exceeds 10 stems/acre (25 ha) in any coupe the marking of this material must be certified by the Divisional Forest Officer.
Dying: Stems with greater than 75% of the crown affected by top dying may be marked for felling up to a maximum of 10 stems/acre (25 ha) in any one coupe if no standing dead trees are present for marking. During marking of dead trees, creating large openings in the forest is avoided.
The marking, felling, logging and transporting of dead and dying trees is done by the Forest Department itself. After reaching depots, the logs are sold by open auction. The branches up to a certain girth are used by Khulna Hard Board Mill and the rest of the branches are used as fuelwood.
Gewa Harvesting Code
The harvestable diameter limits set for pulp material are 4.6" (12 cm) d.b.h. and over and for the matchwood are 6" (15 cm) d.b.h. and over. Felling cycle 20 years.
The annual allowable cut for Gewa has been set at 3.2 million cu.ft. per annum with a minimum diameter limit of 12 cm until better site and growth data is available for recalculation. The harvesting is done by the mills authority itself through any agency sponsored by it, following working and felling plans.
When a purchaser buys any lot and would like to keep the logs in his custody for a while, the Divisional Forest Officer issues a hammer for purchaser for a certain period. This hammer is used for his logs and properly called hammer.
Inland Sal Forest Harvesting Code
The inland Sal forest (Shorea robusta) forests, mainly in Dhaka, Mymenshing and Tangail Forest Division were worked under a coppice system, with a rotation of 25 years. Areas having a lower proportion of Sal trees were managed under a clear felling system followed by artificial regeneration mainly with Sal and other species.
Keora Harvesting Code
The silvicultural treatments prescribed are: (a) selection system with a harvestable diameter limit 11.6" (30 cm) d.b.h. and over, in the pure Keora stands and the removal of dead and dying stems; and (b) clear felling of the residual stands of the Keora where the understory is well established.
Harvesting Code for Goran
Goran felling is done in two stages: (i) felling for selected Goran poles, (ii) felling for fuelwood and singling of coppice materials felling of Goran for poles and fuelwood should be completed during the period between completion of marking for Sundri and other species and felling of the marked trees. During extraction one shoot is left in each branch.
Harvesting Code of Golpata
Exploitation should not be allowed in any area more than once in a year and cutting of Golpata should not be allowed during the months of June, July, August and September which is the growing period. The unopened central leaf and the leaf next to it in each clump must be retained. All dead and dry leaves will be cut at the time of cleaning the clumps. Flower and fruits should in no way be distributed at the time of cutting leaves. Sample plots must not be disturbed. Purchasers must not be allowed to cut leaves which they do not intend to utilize. Young plants only on utilizable leaf should not be cut.
Miscellaneous Prescriptions
The species baen, dhundol and Kakra will be marked in the coupes annually allocated for the Sundri working circle according to a diameter limit selection system. The minimum merchantable diameter limits used would be (i) Baen, site quality 1-22" (56 cm) d.b.h. and above; site quality 2-18" (46 cm) d.b.h. and above, site quality 3-14" (36 cm) d.b.h. and above (ii) Dhundol - 6" (15 cm) d.b.h. and above (iii) Kakra - 8" (20 cm) d.b.h. and above. The felling of passur will continue to be prohibited.
Transit Rules for Sundarban Division
i. No person shall cut or convert any timber in any Reserved or Protected Forest in the Sundarbans of Khulna district without a pass.
ii. The transit of forest produce through any water way or landway is prohibited without a pass.
iii. Any person who cuts or converts timber in any forest is obliged to produce his pass whenever called upon by any Forest Officer or police officer to examine the produce.
iv. The pass issued shall be in the form of a permit that authorizes cutting and removal of forest produce through a specified route.
v. An Officer-In-Charge of a Forest Revenue or a checking station can issue passes being authorized by Conservator of Forests.
vi. For any transhipped or landed forest produce in the district of Khulna, Jessore, shall permit ordered by any Forest or Police Officer, shall desist from such moving or landing between sunset and sunrise.
vii. No person shall transport any piece of Sundri or Passur timber which does not have the Forest Department transit or sale mark by river or by land in any part of Khulna, Jessore districts without the permission in writing of a Forest Officer employed in the Sundarban Division not below the rank of Extra Assistant Conservator of Forests.
viii. The above rates are not applicable to the species which does not grow in Sunderban.
Using of Hammer in Harvesting
Hammers are used for marking, felling, selling, seizing, passing and declaring property for any. Depending on the use, they also have their own name, i.e. marking hammer, selling hammer, seizing hammer, passing hammer and property hammer.
A marking hammer is used in felling operation. It is used as digit number. It is given both on stump and log. For example, when a tree is numbered 5 and it produces 3 logs, the logs would be numbered like 5/1, 5/2 & 5/3.
A seizing hammer is used for any felled log which is illicitly felled or which has no owner or which is seized from illicit fellers. After seize, it becomes the property of the government. After seizing its length and girth is measured.
A passing hammer is used for passing the logs through the forest up to the depot.
A sale hammer is used when any lot is auctioned then all the logs of that lot are marked with sale hammer. Sometimes a seize hammer is used as a sale hammer.
