The Botanical Garden and Eco-Park, Sitakunda is situated in the historical Chandranath Reserve Forest at Sitakunda Upazilla under the district of Chittagong. This reserve is famous for its natural beauty and rich bio-diversity. Due to tremendous pressure from the fastest growing population that reserve was losing its wilderness and wealth very rapidly in the near past. In that circumstances, Bangladesh Forest Department decided to protect it and constitute it as a protected area named as Botanical Garden and Eco-Park and accordingly this Eco-Park was established in 1999. This is the first Eco-Park in Bangladesh. People can enjoy nature in eco-friendly environment here.
Objectives of establishing Botanical Garden & Eco-Park:
The Sitakunda Botanical Garden and Eco-Park is established with the following objectives-
1 To preserve and enrich the genetic pool of various indigenous and exotic species through intensive management.
2 To raise plantation of different kinds of Bamboo species, canes, herbs and medicinal plants.
3 To collect and plant Valuable, rare and endangered species.
4 To conserve bio-diversity and improve wildlife habitat.
5 To promote eco-tourism through eco-friendly infrastructure and facilities for tourists.
6 To develop facilities for education and research for students, teachers and researchers.
Area of Botanical Garden and Eco-Park:
The total area of Botanical Garden and Eco-Park is approximately 1996 acres. Out of that Botanical Garden is 1000 acres and the rest 996 acres is for Eco-Park. Recently additional 1.5 acre of land is acquired.
Topography:
Botanical garden and Eco-Park is situated in a hilly area. This area consists of low, medium and high hills. These Hills are aligned north to south. Heights of low hill ranges from 50 to 250 feet and height of high hills ranges from 500 to 1200 feet. The height of Chandranath is 1335 feet from sea area. Hills are mainly composed of sand stone and shell. Geologically these hills are part of Garo hill ranges and formed under Dhupitila series and Upper Middle Tipam series in the Quarternari Pleistocene period.
Climate:
The Climate of Botanical Garden and Eco-Park is under wet sub-tropical climate. From June to September, heavy rainfall occurred. Only 4-5 months are dry season. From December to February in each year temperature goes to lowest. The mean-annual temperature is 26.6° Celsius. May is the hottest month and the mean temperature is 28.10° Celsius in May. The Scenic beauty becomes attractive and charming to the visitors in the fogging winter morning and evening. On the other hand, in dry season forest fire becomes a great threat to the park area.
Rainfall:
The rainy season extends from May to September. Highest rainfall is recorded in July and average rainfall in July is 689.3mm. The park area is a high to moderate rainfall area.
Humidity:
The relative humidity is much higher except in January and February. In February, the mean relative humidity is low (67%) and in June-July the mean relative humidity is highest (85%). The park area remains foggy and wet especially in morning and afternoon throughout the year.
Vegetation:
There are about 145 evergreen species of flora are available inside the Eco-Park. Garjan (Dipterocarpus turbinatus), Dharmara (Stereospermum personaturn), Dolua (Neohouzeana dullooa), Dewa (Artocarpus lakoocha), Holdu (Adina cordifolia), Gutgutia, Bashpata (Podocarpus nerifolia), Bohera (Terminalia belerica), Jarul, Polash (Butea monosperma), Dumur (Ficus recemosa), Shimul, Kanchan (Bauhinia purpurea), Chapalish, Bura, Hortoki (Terminalia chebula), Amloki (Phyllamthus embelica), and Haimonthis are the main species. rare variety of cicuses are available in this park.
Nursery:
A Central nursery has been established in the park area. This nursery raises seedlings of different indigenous and exotic species. it also raises rare and endangered indigenous species like Joytun, Nagalingam, bashpata, Tomal, Peduk, Kanchan, Tejpata and different exotic kinds of medicinal plants and bamboo and cane.
Orchid House:
An artistic Orchid House has established inside the Eco-Park. There are about 100 spp. of Orchids exists in the Orchid house, of which some are in flowering stage.
Display Map:
There has a mini Display Map in front of office building. Visitors can have a overall idea about the park area from that Display Map.
Chandranath Temple:
Chandranath Temple is a Holy place for the Hindu Community. During the time of “Doljatra” (Puja) and Purnima about millions of “Punnarthi” are gathered here from the different part of the country as well as from neighboring countries. There is a stare from the foothill to top hill (Temple). A tourist or a “Punnarthi” have to climb 1600 steps of stair to reach the main temple. There is also a car road from the park gate to the temple.
Sahachradhara and Suptodhara:
The combination of many small “Chara” in the Chandranath reserved forests has made waterfalls like Sahachradhara and Suptodhara. When visitors watch the natural water flow, then they become very sentimental. Likewise, when they watch southern part, then they will watch Sea and also sea girl Sandip. It is just like as sister sea is stand by with her brother hill in her heart.
Artificial Lake:
There is a scope to make a nice lake by erakting dam in the flow of Sahashradhara and Suptodhara. Water flow from Sahachradhara and Suptodhara will be made protection for making the artificial lake. In that lake visitors can enjoy boat riding and can observe the scenic beauty. They will see wildlife’s like, Monkey, Bears etc.
Picnic Corner:
In the northern part of Botanical Garden and Eco-Park, there are many hills suitable to make picnic corners. There have already some picnic corners in the hill tips with rest rooms, toilet and drinking water facilities. There have scope to make many others.
Plantation:
1 Block plantation of different species
2 Bamboo arboretum of different bamboo species.
3 Cane arboretum of different bamboo species.
4 Ornamental and flowering plantation
5 Ornamental live hedge with herb and shrub plantation
6 Rare species of Orchid/Cactus collection, preservation and maintenance
7 Hardwood species plantation
8 Food and fodder plantation for Birds and Animals
9 Rare species plantation
10 Medicinal plant plantation
11 Seasonal flower and Ornamental plantation around water fall and boundary line
12 Planting, preparation and maintenance of TOPIER
In 1926 National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam came to Shitakundu and visited natural lake and hill. He wrote a poem sitting on that lakeside hill which is as follows:
Akasha helan diea pahar gumai oie
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