Chittagong University Campus: Rich in Forest Growing Stock of Valuable Timber Tree Species in Bangladesh

Abstract

The campus of Chittagong University in Bangladesh is rich in forest ecosystem. The campus has large area with vast tract of land planted with valuable timber tree species. The present study identifies and discovers the potential growing stock of the plantations in the campus area. This Growing stock was measured in three parameters viz. volume, biomass and organic carbon stock. Study identified thirty three economically valuable forest tree species in the plantations of Chittagong University. Out of three growing stock parameters, volume of timber was found to be low in indigenous tree species in the plantation sites other than exotic species. This might be due to their slow growth rate and low density in the plantation sites. However, biomass and organic carbon stock of trees per hactre area showed that indigenous species gather and sequester more timber and carbon respectively than introduced species. Plantations of Chittagong University campus can acquire <TEX>$25.51m^3/ha$</TEX> volume of economically important tree species, where biomass and organic carbon stock is 222.33 tonne/ha and 107.48 tonne/ha respectively. This result shows a positive impression on the plantation site to be considered as good forest reserve.