Exploring the current status of forest stock in the areas bordering Dinder Biosphere Reserve, Sudan

Dinder Biosphere Reserve (DBR) is the one of first protected areas in Sudan. It hosts diversified populations of plants and animals species ranging from annual plants and grasses to mature and over mature trees, as well as, birds and herbivores to large carnivores. However, with all this diversity, information about the current status of forest resources around the reserve is lacking. Therefore, this study is exploring the current status of forest stock in the areas surrounding the Dinder Biosphere Reserve, in order to bridge the current information gap for attaining sustainable management of natural resources in the area. Six forest reserves were selected for data collection due to their nearest position and important to the DBR. For data collection, a point sampling method was applied with a 10 % as sampling intensity across the six sites. In each sample plot (1ha) after the determination of the tree species, the measured variables include number of trees per hectare, diameter at breast height, total tree height, crown diameter and crown height. Paired samples T test in Minitab (Version 17) were used to compares between the various growth parameters. Our results revealed that growth parameters differed significantly between riverine forest reserves with no significant differences among natural forests. Fazara natural forest reserve revealed the maximum value of tree density, however, Badous riverine forest reserve showed the highest mean value for tree density throughout the study area. Besides that, the study findings also distinguished Acacia seyal var fistula, Adansonia digitata and Tamarindus indica as rare tree species in all six-forest reserves. The study recommended that urgent protection measures are needed in the study area in order to conserve these rare tree species before they disappear from their natural ranges.