Understanding Threats to India’s Mangrove Forests
Indian mangrove forests are a highly threatened lot. As these forests have played a very important role in terms of environmental, economic, and social benefits, the impacts are felt if high impact is given either by human activities as well as changes in the environment. This helps naturally in cushioning coastal erosion while providing support to biodiversity, storing carbon, among so many functions. The country must protect the mangrove forests so that it can have a greener future; otherwise, these ecosystems will continue degrading with time, coupled with long-lasting environmental and community implications here.
Mangrove Forests: Importance in India
From a minimal extension of almost 4,600 kilometers squared into coastal areas in West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, these Mangrove forests provide India with an ecological defense system to save its coastal regions from the devastating effects of surges and tsunamis caused by storminess and increasing sea levels. Many species of fish, crabs, and mollusks find their home in these mangrove systems and, in this process, also assist coastal fisheries in obtaining their livelihoods.
Besides this, mangroves are carbon sinks; they absorb huge amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This is a significant tool in fighting climate change. They clean up water quality by filtering sediments and pollutants from it, giving clean waters to coastal communities and aquatic organisms.
Key Threats facing Mangrove Forests
Coastal Development and Urbanization
Among the major impacts on mangrove forests of India, an important issue is coastal development. The rate of urbanization and infrastructure development along the coast of India has seen spectacular reclamation of areas for housing, industries, and commercial purposes, mainly at the cost of mangrove habitat itself besides the impact on local ecosystem in terms of loss of biodiversity and livelihoods.
The other serious problem is that of habitat destruction. More and more coastal areas are being put into port, road, and tourism infrastructures.
Often mangrove forests have to be cleared to pave the way for large-scale activities such as shrimp culture. It thereby worsens the state.
Pollution
Industrial activities, agriculture, and urban settlements also severely threaten mangrove ecosystems. Industrial wastewater, chemical runoffs from agriculture, and untreated sewage find their way into the coastal waters, hence polluting the mangrove environment. Such pollutants deteriorate the quality of water and soil that affects plants and wildlife dependent on mangroves for survival.
Coastal regions are also witnessing, these days, the critical issue of plastic waste accumulation. These days, mangroves are getting plugged with plastic debris that deteriorates health not only of the plant species but also of the other marine life living in their respective ecosystems.
Climate and sea level rise
It has brought climate change that has greatly impacted the mangrove forests of India. It threatens their existence by bringing floods to coastal areas in mangrove habitats. Increment in salinity and altered tidal pattern cause serious devastation of mangrove forests. Mangrove is highly sensitive to minor changes in salinity levels; hence, it causes extreme damages to their growth and existence.
Climate change and extreme weather conditions, like more frequent and intense cyclones and storms, pose further threats to the mangrove forests. Storm surges will wash away seedlings, and high winds will uproot mature trees.
Overexploitation of Resources
Most coasts are suffering mangroves over-harvested for firewood, timbers, and other products. Over-exploration of mangrove trees has, therefore, subsequently put pressure on the ecosystems to an extent of weakening their power to regenerate themselves and thus maintain biodiversity. Gathering, for this purpose also threatens in harvesting other dangerous mangrove products, honey, fish, and many others if it does not address the sustainability manner.
Some of these fish ponds and shrimp farms have destroyed vast areas of mangrove forests in some areas. These may yield short term economic gains but in the long run, lead to ecological degradation.
Invasive Species
Indian mangrove forests haven’t been left behind in the threats that include invasion by alien plant species such as Australian acacia and others which compete with native mangrove plants for water, supply of nutrients, and space thus it begins to outcompete them on resource acquisition with natives slowly degenerating biodiversity with time.
Conservation and Protection
Despite various difficulties, it is critically essential for mangrove forests protection and restoration in India. The Government has now understood their significance and initiated the movement towards their protection. For the protection of mangrove areas and their proper use, recently, Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change launched a National Mangrove Conservation Programme (NMCP).
Several state governments and NGOs have been educating people on the importance of mangroves and assisting local communities in maintaining them. Successful community-based initiatives include the integration of local people into the mangrove restoration and protection schemes through sustainable livelihoods, eco-tourism, and alternative sources of income, for which these depend on exploiting the mangroves for other benefits.
In this regard, it has been part of international efforts where some are fulfilled obligations met under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. The international accords reflect as much as if mangroves, and the other life sustaining systems would have to be secured during changes due to climatic.
The Way Forward
A multi-pronged effort will be required for long-term survival of mangrove forests in India. For that to happen, better implementation of the environment through tougher methods to prevent encroachment by developments will be essential. Government planning for urbanization and development must account for protecting coastal ecosystems.
These include increased efforts toward controlling pollution. Industrial discharges and sewage will need to be more under control so they destroy fewer mangrove habitats. The public would also become increasingly important to ensure that such ecosystems be preserved.
Vast reversion of mangrove forests is required in the context of climate change. This would, in turn, provide resilience to its coastal ecosystems for the future by planting new mangroves and rehabilitating degraded sites in India. Such changes in climate would minimize its impacts on storm surges and erosion for protecting coastal populations.
Conclusion
Coastal development, pollution, climate change, and overexploitation threaten mangrove forests of India. It is an important reason to not overlook these ecosystems. Strong policies and the involvement of community, in association with sustainable management practices can help India in conserving and restoring mangrove forests, thus making sure these deliver critical services to both the environment and the local community for years to come.
Source: Environmental studies, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, India