ENVIS Centre, Ministry of Environment & Forest, Govt. of India

Printed Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Upcoming Event

Appeal of the Director From Department of Environment for International Day for the CONSERVATION OF THE MANGROVE ECOSYSTEM ON 26th JULY, 2019

APPEAL OF THE DIRECTOR FROM DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE CONSERVATION OF THE MANGROVE ECOSYSTEM ON 26th JULY, 2019
 
 
The International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem, adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO in 2015 and celebrated each year on 26 July, aims to raise awareness of the importance of mangrove ecosystems as “a unique, special and vulnerable ecosystem" and to promote solutions for their sustainable management, conservation and uses.
 
 
 
Mangroves are rare, spectacular and prolific ecosystems on the boundary between land and sea. Mangrove ecosystems contribute to the wellbeing, food security, and protection of coastal communities worldwide. They support a rich biodiversity and provide a valuable nursery habitat for fish and crustaceans. Mangroves also act as a form of natural coastal defense against storm surges, tsunamis, rising sea levels and erosion. Their soils are highly effective carbon sinks, sequestering vast amounts of carbon.
 
 
 
Coastal community are depend directly on mangroves for products like wood, fish, crabs, shrimps, clams and medicines, which are essential to their livelihoods, food security and nutrition. Mangroves are resistant to extreme tides and help to trap sedimentation. They help to stabilize shorelines, reduce flooding and mitigate other natural disasters by lessening waves and wind and also the potential of mangroves to help fight climate change, conserve Mangrove biodiversity.
 
 
In Tamil Nadu, Pichavaram Mangrove Forest near Chidambaram is the world’s second largest mangrove forest. Pichavaram mangrove forest is located between two prominent estuaries, the Vellar estuary in the north and Coleroon estuary in the south. The mangrove forest at Pichavaram is spread over 1,100 hectares and joins the Bay of Bengal and approximately, 200 species of birds have been recorded, along with many varieties of seaweed, fish, prawns, crabs, oysters, turtles, and otters.
 
 
International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem is used to celebrate in holistic approach to protecting and restoring natural resources imitate principles which are being applied by many countries to promote mangrove ecosystem.
 
 
On this International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem is an opportunity for creating awareness among the students and public for the value of Mangroves ecosystem in coastal life and advocates for support and awareness of the communities dependent on their conservation. And also, as an opportunity to reflect on our personal pledge to climate and mangrove biodiversity conservation for a sustainable future.
 
 
Director
Department of Environment