On a mission to save endangered trees

These trees are key structural components of forest ecosystems. They also support a number of algae, lichens, mosses, ferns, orchids, parasites, climbers, insects, birds and other wildlife.

Dr Mohammad Kamal Hossain, professor of Institute of Forestry and Environmental Science at CU.

Native medicinal trees were once abundant in the country. But with the passage of time, they have either vanished or are on the verge of extinction, mainly due to indiscriminate deforestation.

For example, Kannyari, Boilam, Civit, Rakto Chandan, Bon Sonalu, Olot Kambal and Udal aren't found anywhere in the country anymore. Meanwhile, medicinal trees like Haritaki, Raktan, Sundari, Arjun and trees bearing good timber like Dholi batna, Dholliya Garjan, Gamari, Sada Koroi, Malakanna Koroi are on the verge of extinction.

The Encyclopedia of Flora & Fauna of Bangladesh categorises 486 species as threatened, with the number increasing with time.

To address this, an initiative has been taken up on Chittagong University campus, which aims to revive these disappearing trees.

Dr Mohammad Kamal Hossain, a professor of Institute of Forestry and Environmental Science at CU, took the initiative back in 2019. With three years, results have started to flow in.

Dr Kamal told The Daily Star that the idea came to him suddenly. As he took his students to a nearby forest for a practical class in 2005, he found that most of the medicinal trees that stood proud during his student life in the 1970s were nowhere to be found.

"They were all cut down. I felt so guilty that I thought I should do something for the survival of these species," he said.

Since then, he started planting trees inside the campus, albeit in an unorganised way. "It went on like this for the next 14 years as I couldn't manage money needed to nurse the trees."

But 2019 proved to be a breakthrough year. "Between 2019 and 2021, I took up a bold initiative and planted 3,169 saplings of native trees with the assistance of BARC between 2019 and 2021."

"Of them, there's 90 saplings of endangered tree species, including Raktakambal, Chakua Koroi, Boilam, Khudijam, Boddiraj, Agar, Barta, Deophal, Dewa and Latkon," Dr Kamal said, adding that the seeds were collected from different areas of the country.

In addition, to preserve the trees, Dr Kamal also set up a seed archive at the forestry department, which stores seeds of around 350 species.

From here, seedlings are sent out to be planted in Protected Areas (PA) of the country. Around 8,200 seedlings were distributed from here to different organisations.

Dr Kamal spoke to this correspondent about the importance of these trees. "These trees are key structural components of forest ecosystems. They also support a number of algae, lichens, mosses, ferns, orchids, parasites, climbers, insects, birds and other wildlife."

"Afforestation is one of the key tools for forest landscape restoration. Planned afforestation is now the demand of the time," he said.

Samarshwar Sinha, an master's student of Institute of Forestry and Environmental Science, said, "Dr Kamal loves the trees like his children. He inquires about the trees and provides several instructions to us regarding their nursing."

Jarin Akhter, director of Institute of Forestry and Environmental Science, said, "Dr Kamal is a true blue nature lover. The Institute is greatly benefitted from the initiative. The welfare of the country also lies in this initiative."