R. Yasmin
Department of Agroforestry, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202
M.A. Wadud
Department of Agroforestry, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202
M.A. Mondol
Department of Agroforestry, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202
M.O. Sharif
Department of Agroforestry, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202
Tree diversity, homestead and cropland agroforestry, Madhupur sal forest
Madhupur upazila under Tangail district
Farming System
The study was conducted on the traditional sal forest area of Bangladesh located at Madhupur upazila of Tangail district.The data were collected from three villages (Laufula, Sathibari, Ranied) of Alokdia Union; three villages (Jalsatra, Joynathali and Konabari) of Ausnara Union and three villages (Gachhabari, Chunia, Pirgacha) of Arankhola Union under Madhupur upazila of Tangail district. Actually Madhupur sal forest is not confined in Madhupur upazila, but extends on large area of Madhupur tracts remaining under Tangail and Mymensingh districts. Madhupur tract is situated at 150 kilometers north of Dhaka. The Tangail-Mymensingh road passes through the forest. The study was limited on the remnant sal forest area lies on its presentative upazila Madhupur. A very small portion of the study area extended up to the Muktagacha and Fulbaria upazilas of Mymensingh district. Geological Location of the Study Area: Madhupur is the most northern upazila of Tangail district. It is located 24047.08/ N between 24031.12/ N latitudes and 89051.65/ E and 9009.66/ E longitudes. The study areas were frequently visited during the period from 26 March to 9 April 2010. Variable of the study: Independent variables of study area were (i) Age, (ii) Education, (iii) Family size, (iv) Farm size, (v) Homestead area, (vi) Cultivable land size, (vii) Number of tree species in homestead, (viii) Number of tree species in cultivable land or cropland, (ix) Number of tree species on the bank of pond, and (x) Annual income. Dependent variable of study area was tree species diversity. Measurement of independent variables: Age of farmers refers to the period of time from his birth to the time of interview. A score of (1) was assigned for each year of his age. It was measured in complete years as reported by a farmer. Education is defined as the ability of an individual to read and write, or formal education received up to ascertain standard. Education of a respondent was measured on the basis of classes he had passed in formal educational institution. For example, if a respondent passed class five, his education score was 5.If a respondent not knowing reading and writing was given a score of zero (0), and a score of 0.5 was assigned to these respondents who can sign only. The family size was measured by the total number of members in the family of a farmer. The family members included the farmer himself, spouse, children and other dependents. The information was obtained by a farmer’s to item number 3 of the interview schedule. The total number of family members was considered as the family size score of a farmer. Farm size of a respondent was measured in terms of hectares by using the followings formula: Farm size =A1 +A2 + 1/2 (A3+A4) + A5; Where, A1 = Homestead area, A2 = Own land under own cultivation, A3 = Land taken from and/or given to other on borga, A4 = Land taken from and/or given to other on lease, A5 = Others (pond, fruit garden etc).Homestead area was measured by the area of the raised land in which the household has its entire living room, livestock and poultry shed, yard under vegetables, fruit and timber trees, backyard, bushes, bamboo bunches, pond etc. It was express in hectare. Cultivable land size was measured by the land that was used for crop production and crop management through all the year round. It also includes the aspects that are used to produce human benefits by their intensive utilization. It was express in hectare. Number of tree species both in homestead and cultivable land was counted by number of tree species that are grown on these areas including fuel, wood, fodder, timber, fruit trees and it was express by numbers. After completion of field survey data were coded, compiled, tabulated and analyzed in accordance with the objectives of the study. Pearson’s Product Moment Co-efficient of Correlation (r) was used in order to explore the relationship between the concerned variables.
J. Agrofor. Environ. 4 (1): 89-92, 2010; ISSN 1995-6983
Journal