'Declare mangroves protected forests'

Is it a case of fence eating the crop? Green activists say the government is the biggest culprit for the depletion of mangrove forests in India. The forest department has little manpower to spare for protecting mangroves and where campaigns have been successful, public support has played a crucial role. A natural breeding ground for several species, mangrove forests act as natural lungs and kidneys of the ecosystem. They absorbs heavy metals and reduce harm to human habitat. It plays a major mitigating role in the changing climatic scenario and time and again, its importance has been highlighted in buffering natural hazards such as cyclones, storm surges and erosion. All you need is political will to protect mangroves. There is no consistency in government approach. There are no strong measures to ensure protection for mangroves. Also, popular support plays a crucial role. (But) a major chunk of the population is still unaware of the importance of mangroves in balancing the ecosystem. The threat to mangroves is, in fact, more in coastal metros where land prices are high. It was only recently that the Bombay High Court had declared mangroves as protected forest. If it is private land, encroachment is easy. Occupying forest land is difficult. Also, the satellite imaging of mangrove forests, which is essential to identify the geographical area of the ecosystem, is not done properly. Some states have always treated mangroves as forests.

Unmindful of the vital role they have in maintaining aquatic as well as avian fauna, mangroves are being destroyed at an alarming rate in India. For instance, mangrove forests that once adorned Kerala's

entire coastal area are now reduced to just 17sqkm, of which only 2sqkm comes under the government. The Kerala forest ministry identifies human encroachment as the major reason behind the depletion of the mangrove layer. Also, the popular misconception that plant species in mangrove forests are of no use has added to its slow death. Interdepartmental coordination is essential for protecting mangroves. The department of fisheries, forest and environment should work together towards this cause. First and foremost, community participation should be encouraged and awareness programmes held. Research worldwide has established that mangroves are effective carbon sinks. One research in Florida says mangrove forests, that cover less than 0.1 per cent of the global land surface, account for a tenth of the dissolved organic carbon flowing from land to ocean. German researchers analysed the carbon output from a large mangrove forest in Brazil and suggested that the plants are one of the main sources of dissolved organic matter in the ocean. Dissolved organic matter is an important player in the global carbon cycle that regulates atmospheric carbon dioxide and therefore, climate. Globally, mangroves span some 150,000sqkm, half the area of the Philippines , and are disappearing faster than any other kind of forest on earth.