Status of Mangrove Plantations – EQ Mag

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has been implementing a project titled ‘Wetlands management for biodiversity and climate protection’, at four Ramsar Sites in India. Under this project, Climate Risk Assessment (CRA) studies have been conducted at four sites namely, Pong Dam Lake and Renuka Lake in Himachal Pradesh, Bhitarkanika Mangroves in Odisha and Point Calimere Wetland Complex in Tamil Nadu. The project has developed an assessment methodology for site-level climate risk assessment and demonstrated how climate risks could be integrated into the wetland management plan at the site level towards capturing climate co- benefits while maintaining the wise use approach of the Ramsar Convention on wetlands. The experience and lessons learnt have been consolidated into a publication ‘Managing Climate Risks in Wetlands – A Practitioner’s Guide’, to serve as an important capacity development tool for Wetland Managers.

MoEFCC provides financial assistance to coastal States to undertake activities related to conservation and management of coastal ecosystems such as mangrove plantation, shelterbelt plantation, coral transplantation, enhancement of livelihood security of coastal communities including capacity building. Management Action Plans (MAP) for conservation and management of mangroves are formulated and implemented in 9 coastal States covering 38 identified mangrove sites. The list is at Annexure I.

As per the India State of Forest Report, 2021, the mangrove cover in the country has been estimated at 4992 sq km with net increment of 17 sq.km in the year 2021 as compared to 2019.

To augment India’s efforts in afforestation, the Union budget 2023-24 announced ‘Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI)’ programme. The aim of the MISTHI Scheme is to protect and revive mangrove ecosystems on the Indian coast while enhancing the socio-economic status of coastal communities. The programme is based on convergence of resources from various ongoing and proposed schemes at Central and State level, with an objective to develop and restore the potential sites of mangroves with the help of State Governments.

List of identified sites for conservation and Management of Mangroves

ANNEXURE-I

This information was given by Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.