Mangroves in India 

NEWS: W.B. government announces Mangrove Cell on International Day of Mangrove Ecosystem

Mangroves in India 

• The International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem is celebrated every year on 26 July and aims to raise awareness of the importance of mangrove ecosystems.

Mangroves 

• Mangroves in India are a unique type of coastal ecosystem found in tropical and subtropical regions. They are dense forests of salt-tolerant trees and shrubs that thrive in intertidal zones, where land meets the sea.
• Mangroves exhibit Viviparity mode of reproduction, where seeds germinate within the tree before falling to the ground. This is an adaptive mechanism to overcome the challenge of germination in saline water.
• According to the Indian State Forest Report 2021, Mangrove cover in India is 4992 sq. Km which is 0.15% of the country’s total geographical area.
• Sundarbans in West Bengal are the largest mangrove forest regions in the world. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Besides the Sundarbans, the Andamans region, the Kachchh and Jamnagar areas in Gujarat too have substantial mangrove cover.

IMPORTANCE:

• Biodiversity Conservation
• Coastal Protection
• Carbon Sequestration
• Water Quality Improvement
• Tourism and Recreation

Govt’s Initiatives:

• SHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes)
• Sustainable Aquaculture In Mangrove Ecosystem (SAIME) initiative

Mains Practice Question
Explain the reasons for the decline of mangroves forest and discuss their significance in the preservation of coastal ecology.

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