‘T.N. Forest Dept. has formed 20 village panels to protect mangrove cover’

Last Updated04/06/2024

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed mangroves in coastal regions spanning Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, as ‘critically endangered’ in its first global assessment of mangrove ecosystems.

To protect mangrove cover, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department has constituted 20 village mangrove committees.
According to the IUCN assessment, of the 36 geographical areas spanning tropical, sub-tropical and warm temperate coasts across the world, only south India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, and the north-western Atlantic region that has a warm temperature have the critically endangered tag.
In the south Indian ecoregion, mangroves were considered for the study.
Mangrove ecosystems are important for biodiversity conservation, provision of essential goods and services to local communities, and reducing the impact of climate change.
According to the IUCN, threats to mangroves were rapidly evolving.
- due to wood exploitation, deforestation owing to agriculture, and shrimp farming, and impacts due to dam construction altering freshwater and sediment fluxes.
- mangroves face additional challenges due to climate change, including sea-level rise and an increased frequency and severity of cyclonic storms.
In Tamil Nadu, according to the Indian State of Forest Report, the extent of mangroves had doubled from 2001 to 2021(45 sq.km).
Mangrove restoration has been completed in Tamil Nadu districts under the World Bank-funded Tamil Nadu Coastal Restoration Mission.
The State government was also recognising the role of local communities in protecting mangroves.
For this, 20 village panels had been constituted for locals to take ownership of mangrove ecosystems and benefit from it.