The study was conducted as part of a social forestry program in progress at the Chittagong University campus Chittagong, Bangladesh. The hilly area of the campus (elevation ranged between 14 and 87 m above mean sea level) was once densely covered by the tropical semiever green forests of Dipterocarps, Artocarpus chaplasha, and Albizia spp., which has been deforested by over exploitation and encroachment. Aggressive grasses and shrubs such as Imperata cylindrica, Saccharum spontaneum, Lantana camera, and Melastroma spp. have replaced the forest vegetation (Badruddin, et al., 1990). The climate is tropical monsoon with more than 10 8C difference between summer and winter temperatures. Mean annual rainfall is about 280 cm, which is received almost entirely in May to September. Soils of the experimental site belonged to Brown Hill soils (yellowish red, coarse, isohyperthermic Typic Dystrochrept) which are developed in tertiary hill sediments of unconsolidated and partially consolidated beds of sandstones, siltstones, and conglomerates (Gafur, et al., 1979: Soil Survey Sta, 1979). Soils are shallow and sandy loam in texture at the surface, followed by compacted ferruginous layers at 1.5 to 2.7 m depths (Soil Survey Sta?, 1979). In some places, compacted layers have been exposed due to accelerated erosion after deforestation. Accelerated erosion has accounted for a substantial loss of silt and clay particles from upland areas, which, in turn, are deposited in the valleys. Induced leaching and surface run of basic nutrients (Ca, Mg, and K) has caused upland surface soils to gradually increase in acidic cations (Fe and Al), and, as a result, degraded soils have become distinctly acidic over time (Gafur, et al., 1979). Degraded soils have higher bulk densities, are deficient in organic matter and total N, and contain higher amounts of ferruginous concretions compared to soils under well-stocked natural forests. Several exotic and indigenous forest species were selected for reforestation. The exotic forest species were: Acacia arabica Willd., Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn. ex. Benth., Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnhard., and Pinus caribaea Morelet. The indigenous species were: Albizia lebbek Roxb., Cassia siamea Lam., Chikrassia tabularis A. Juss., and Derris robusta Benth. Seeds were germinated in 15 10 cm plastic bags filled with a mixture of sand, forest topsoil, compost, and ash. All seedlings were grown in the nursery of the Institute of Forestry, Chittagong University. Four-month-old seedlings were transplanted in pure stands at 2 2 m spacing. Five plots at 10 10 m were laid out for each species. Seedlings that died in the eight weeks after transplant were replaced by spare seedlings. Weeding continued once per year through the second year, and the reforested sites were kept under regular protection from forest dwellers. Three years after reforestation, height, overbark diameter at breast height (dbh), and crown projections of the trees were recorded. Two randomly selected trees from each plot were harvested. Harvested tree fractions were separated into two categories: (i) foliage (leaves and twigs) and (ii) fuelwood biomass (branches and stem), which were weighted fresh in the ®eld with spring scales. Subsamples of green biomass were dried in a forced-air convection oven at 65+5 0 C to measure moisture content and applied on fresh weight to calculate individual tree component dry biomass weight. Composite soil cores were collected at 0±15 cm depths from each tree plot before and three years after reforestation to evaluate temporal changes in soil properties. Soils were 2-mm sieved and analyzed for moisture content, pH, and total organic C and N. Bulk density was calculated by using the core method. Soil pH was measured in a 1 : 2.5 soil±water mixture using a combination glass electrode. Soil organic C was determined by Walkley and Black's wet oxidation method (Jackson, 1958). Total N content of soil was measured by microKjeldahl method (Page, et al., 1982). All the data on growth and biomass yield parameters of trees was subjected to analysis of variance in a completely randomized design. Mean differences were separated by a least significant difference at p40.05 level. Mean separation of temporal changes in soil properties was tested by a paired t-test. Plant height and dbh were used to establish the relationship with biomass production of trees (Bunce, 1968).