Mangroves: Ecology, economy, and a boat ride in Pichavaram

Red mangrove, avicennia marina, grey mangrove, rhizophora etc. are some common mangrove trees. Abundant in swampy and marshy areas, mangroves represent a littoral forest ecosystem, which means they thrive in saline or brackish waters in coastal regions.

In India, many locations boast of these green, calming havens. The Godavari Krishna delta in Andhra Pradesh, Bhitarkanika in Odisha, mangrove forests in Andamans, Kerala, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, etc., are some spectacular sites.

Mangrove propagules or hanging beans as they are called locally in Pichavaram. (Credit: Swasti Pachauri)

Bio-shields and biodiversity

Mangrove forests are ecologically significant. The trees and shrubs act as natural coastal guards and protectors. They are also referred to as ‘bio-shields’ as they mitigate the impact of strong waves and winds while guarding against coastal and soil erosion, primarily because of their roots. In 2004, some communities in and around the Pichavaram mangrove forests in Tamil Nadu did not face much devastation during the tsunami, thanks to the mangroves.

Different varieties of fish, shrimps, prawns, and plants thrive in mangrove forests supporting the blue economy. The Sundarbans National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site, is famous for the Royal Bengal tigers, Gangetic dolphins, and other flora and fauna. Bhitarkanika in Odisha is renowned for its vulnerable Olive Ridley turtles and salt-water crocodiles.

According to the State of Forest Report 2021, India has about 3 percent of the total mangrove cover in South Asia and the total mangrove cover is 4,975 sq km, i.e., 0.15 per cent of the country’s total geographical area.

Mangroves act as essential carbon sinks (absorb more carbon than they release), are helpful in mitigating global warming and work as natural water filters. Since they are found in coastal regions, mangroves are also a source of livelihood for coastal communities. Fisherwomen and farmers depend on the wide variety of ecological wealth mangroves offer. Fish farming, non-timber forest produce, honey collection, and boating are some local occupations on which locals depend.

The World Wildlife Fund’s ‘natural mangrove honey’ project in the Sundarbans has been successful in empowering rural communities in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district. Other rural businesses include travel and tour agencies, local seafood restaurants and eateries, etc. Mangroves also offer tourism opportunities like trekking, nature trails, kayaking, boating, nature walks etc.

Tourists and visitors flock to pichavaram from near by towns and cities. (Credit: Swasti Pachauri)

A boat ride in Pichavaram

India has several mangrove destinations. A recent trip to Chennai took me to Pichavaram, Tamil Nadu. Located in the Vellar-Coleroon estuarine complex, spanning 1,100 hectares, the Pichavaram mangrove forest lies in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore district. Tourists regularly flock to this green jewel hidden amid the backwaters.

The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) offers boating to tourists amidst the mangroves where scenes from Kamal Haasan’s Dasavatharam were shot. From 9 am to 5 pm, tourists visit the area to travel through the canals inside the mangrove forests on a motor boat or a rowboat.

During my trip, I met Rajendran, 63, a boatman who earns Rs 80 as commission per boat ride. Pichavaram is his village’s lifeline, says Rajendran, who has been a local tourist guide and boatman for over a decade. “We work as farmers and boatmen here. Traditionally, we are fishermen. We need to know how to swim. We also need to know the names of all the canals inside the forest by heart. In case of an eventuality, we can call for help, and the guards can reach us at the same location,” says Rajendran, a knowledgeable guide who helps tourists spot herons, pelicans, the fruits/propagules of avicennia trees etc.

Local fishermen and women here sell fresh shellfish, shrimps, and prawns. In and around Pichavaram and other districts, handicrafts made of coconut shells and mats made of ‘Korai’ grass are available – a handicraft promotion initiative that can be utilised to boost eco-tourism.

In 2022, Pichavaram mangroves were given the status of a Ramsar site, i.e., Ramsar wetlands of international importance. However, in the wake of climate change, the Pichavaram mangrove ecosystem has become susceptible and vulnerable to ecological damage.

Mangroves are flowering trees. (Credit: Swasti Pachauri)

Conservation and the way ahead

Mangroves face immense threats from rampant urbanisation, depletion of coastal land systems because of agriculture, shrimp farming, and other dangers from rising sea temperatures. Unsustainable tourism practices also affect these vulnerable ecosystems.

However, increasingly, the protection of mangroves as a strategy for climate change-oriented action is gaining popularity. Some global efforts include Mangroves for the Future (MFF) and Mangroves Alliance for Climate. July 26, is commemorated as the ‘International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem’ by UNESCO.

In India, initiatives and schemes such as the MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes), Amrit Dharohar, West Bengal’s Sustainable Aquaculture In Mangrove Ecosystem (SAIME) and the recently launched Mangrove Cell, Andhra Pradesh’s Vana Samrakshana Samitis, and the Green Tamil Nadu Mission (under which 15 hectares of mangroves have been planted at Killai in Cuddalore district) are some examples. Organisations like the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) are implementing livelihood projects such as mud crab farming to augment the incomes of fisherwomen in Tamil Nadu.

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