IMPORTANCEOFMANGROVES

WHATAREMANGROVETREES?

Ê Theyareshrubsorsmalltreesthatgrowincoastalsalineorbrackishwater(saltwater).

Ê AMangroveisatropicalmarinetreeorashrub.

Ê Ithasspecialaerialrootsandsalt-filteringtaprootsthathelpthemtothriveorgrowinthesalinewater.

WHEREARETHEYFOUND?

Ê Theyarefoundworldwideinthetropicsandsub-tropics.

Ê Thereareover15.9millionhectaresofmangroveforestsinthewarmwatersoftropicaloceansallovertheworld.

Ê AlongtheAtlanticcoasttheyarefoundfromFloridaallwaydowntoArgentina,westernandeasterncoastsofAfrica.TheyalsostretchintoIndia(mostlyMaharashtra),BurmaandSouth-eastAsia.TheyarealsocommoninAustraliaandNewZealand.

USESOFMANGROVES.

Ê BufferZonebetweenthelandandsea.

Ê Protectthelandfromerosion.

Ê Playaninvaluableroleasnature'sshieldagainstcyclones,ecologicaldisastersandasprotectorofshorelines.

Ê Savethemarinediversity,whichisfastdiminishing.

Ê Potentialsourceforrecreationandtourism.

CONTD.USESOFMANGROVES.

Ê Breedingandnurserygroundsforavarietyofmarineanimals.

Ê Harbouravarietyoflifeformslikeinvertebrates,fish,amphibians,reptiles,birdsandevenmammalsliketigers.

Ê Goodsourceoftimber,fuelandfodder.

Ê Mainsourceofincomegenerationforshorelinecommunitieslikefisherfolk.

MANGROVESINMUMBAI.

Ê Bytrappingsilt,mangrovesmaintaintheintegrityofMumbai’sshoreline.ThisisavitalservicetothecityofMumbaiasitisverypronetoerosion,havingbeenbuiltonreclaimedlandthatisbatteredbytheseaonallthreesides.TherecentrainsinMumbaiandthedisasterthatfolloweddemonstratedtheconsequenceoftamperingwiththeecologyoffragileecosystemslikemangroves.HadMumbai’sMithiriverandMahimcreekmangrovesnotbeendestroyedbybuilders,fewerpeoplewouldhavediedandthepropertydamagewouldhavebeendramaticallyless.

Ê Intheearlynineties,perhapsover37sq.km.ofmangrovesexistedinMumbai,largelyintheThanecreek,Mahim,Versova,GoraiandGhodbunder,withsporadicpatchesinplacessuchasBandra,MalabarHillandColaba.Mumbaihasprobablylost40percentofallitsmangrovesinthepastdecadeorso,largelybecauseofreclamationforhousing,slums,sewagetreatmentandgarbagedumps.Fortunately,thankstotheGodrejfamily,westillhaveexcellentmangroveforestsinVikhroli(Link).

CONTD.MANGROVESINMUMBAI.

Ê Intheearlynineties,perhapsover37sq.km.ofmangrovesexistedinMumbai,largelyintheThanecreek,Mahim,Versova,GoraiandGhodbunder,withsporadicpatchesinplacessuchasBandra,MalabarHillandColaba.Mumbaihasprobablylost40percentofallitsmangrovesinthepastdecadeorso,largelybecauseofreclamationforhousing,slums,sewagetreatmentandgarbagedumps.Fortunately,thankstotheGodrejfamily,westillhaveexcellentmangroveforestsinVikhroli(Link).

Ê Around20outofthe35speciesoftruemangrovesfoundinIndiahavebeenidentifiedalongtheMaharashtracoastand15speciesofthesearefoundinMumbai.

Ê Becauseofthehighsalinityofthesoil,somethinglike60percentofMumbaimangrovescompriseAvicenniamarina.Norsurprisinglythisspeciesalsotoleratespollutionincludingheavymetalssuchaslead,mercuryandchromium,allfoundinsignificantconcentrationsintheMithiriver.

CONTD..

Ê Rapiddevelopmentslikehousing,industrialization,pollutionandincreasingpopulationofMumbaihasresultedintodegradationofmangroves.Therearetwoimportantcreeks,VasaiCreektowardsnorthandThaneCreektowardsouthwhereluxuriantmangrovepatchesarestillleft.OtherwisetheStateGovt.agencieshavefailedtoprotectthisimportant,productivemangroveecosystemfrombuildingmafias.

Ê TheworstaffectedareainMumbaiistheentirewesternfrontexceptingCarterRoadwherethemangroveshavegrownandhavealsoregisteredanincreaseinheightinthelast10years.Thishasbeenpossibleduetotheparticipationofcitizen’sforumsfightingindividually.

CONTD…

Ê InIndia,alegalprotectionisaffordedtothisecosystembywayoflegislationintheformofCoastalRegulationZoneNotification.RecentlyMumbaiHighCourthasorderedfreezeondestructionofmangroveforestsinMaharashtraandhasbannedconstructionwithin50metresofthem.Thecourthasalsodirectedtonotifymangroveareasasprotectedforests.Thus,thereisalreadyamechanismprovidedformanagementofthisecosystem.Unfortunately,howevermanyatimesthelegalprovisionsarenotbeingenforcedtocurbtheillegalactivities.

Ê Insuchasituation,protectionofthemangroveecosystemispossibleonlythroughtheparticipationofthelocalcommunityandbybuildinguppressuregroupsforensuringmanagementofthisecosystemandstrictimplementationofthelegalprovisionsbytheGovernment.Thereby,integrityofhabitatscriticalforspawning,juvenilesandfeedingandforbiodiversity,apartfromecologicalsustainabilityandcommunity-sustainabilitycouldbemaintained

CONTD….

Ê InthepastfewyearstherehasbeenanincreaseintheawarenessofthepeopleinMumbai.Residentsassociationsarecomingtogethertospreadthisawareness.TheyrealizethattherapiddestructionofmangrovesalongthecoastofMumbaiwillhavefar-reachingeffectsonthecity.TheNGOsinMumbaiaremakingeffortstohighlighttheissueslikelandreclamation,coastalregulationzonenotificationandillegaldestructionofthemangroveareasthroughtheinterventionsofthelocalstategovernmentandalocalbodies.

IMPORTANCEOFMANGROVES.

THANKYOU!X☺BY:ADAHARORA,BANSIDAFTARY,DHRUVSHAH&MUSKANSHAH

8H2016-17.