Mangroves: The shore keepers of India

It's high time we discuss the threats to our coasts and coastal communities.

Around 60 per cent of the world’s population is based around oceans and other water bodies. Water is a key resource for survival and development.

In this article...

• International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem
• What are Mangroves?
• How are mangroves in danger?

Even today, we see several reclamations on India’s coastline for industries, ports, cities, although our nation has no dearth of land in mainland India. Yet, threats to our coasts and coastal communities are seldom discussed. 

The United Nations has identified threats to coastal ecosystems as a key challenge, and various days are observed across the world to highlight the role of coastal forests. One of them is 26 July – International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem. 

Come tsunami, cyclones like Amphan and Nisarga and Indians re-realise the importance of the mangrove ecosystem. But do we know what mangroves are? Mangroves are coastal forests found in 117 tropical and subtropical countries with a wide range of plant and animal species in them. Being literally a borderline forest, mangroves host wildlife from land, water and coast making them one of the most biodiverse ecosystems. 

Tough life

The challenges they live with, such as excess salinity of the seas, limited freshwater, limited oxygen, loose soil attacked by the high tides twice a day, high humidity make life difficult. So, how do these plants thrive where others would perish? Mangrove plants show specialised adaptations in their root system, leaf structure, internal and reproduction system. These adaptations are not found in terrestrial plants so their presence defines a plant as mangrove. Visit any mangrove ecosystem of India, and you will find mangrove and its associate species such as Grey mangrove, Milky mangrove, Meswak, Apple mangrove, among several other plant species. 

Mangroves are one of the ancient ecosystems evolved almost 114 million years ago when life was transitioning from the oceans to the land. India is blessed with almost 4,975 sq. km. mangrove forests that offer important ecosystem services. But what do they really do? Well, they control erosion of shoreline from strong sea tides, absorb and store carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that causes climate change. They work into a nursery for fish, prawns, crabs, lobsters supporting India’s food security and livelihoods of our fisherfolk. Mangroves provide food, fodder, medicines, tannin and timber to the local community and the larger economy beyond. During monsoon, mangroves store excess rainwater and act as a buffer between water and land reducing flash floods in our villages, towns and cities. In recent times, mangroves are being promoted as ecotourism destinations by the governments of coastal states.

In danger!

Unfortunately, despite legal protection through Coastal Regulation Zone Notification by the Government of India, mangroves are under threat. Especially in urban areas, mangroves are degraded or even eroded when we dump garbage and domestic and industrial wastewater. Reclamation and dredging of coastal sand are huge threats that mangroves face. We, Indians, need to value and protect mangroves for our own environmental, social and financial development. 

Know your mangroves

What did you last visit in Mumbai? How many of us have checked out the mangroves there? Godrej & Boyce Mfg Co. Ltd has been protecting the mangrove ecosystem through the city’s second-largest green lung. It has a dedicated Wetland Management Department (WMD) team that manages what is known as the Godrej mangroves through research, conservation and awareness. 

What would you find there?

• 16 mangrove and associate plant species 
• 208 bird species 
• 82 butterfly species 
• 80 spider species 
• 75 insect species 
• 31 reptile species 
• 22 fish species 
• 13 crab species 
• Seven prawn species 
• Six mammal species

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