This document summarizes the success of mangrove conservation efforts in Maharashtra through a multidisciplinary approach. Key points include: - Mangrove cover in Maharashtra has increased from 186 sq km in 1987 to over 320 sq km in 2019 due to conservation efforts. - A mangrove cell was established in 2012 to focus solely on conservation and coastal biodiversity. Legal protections for mangroves were also passed. - Community participation through activities like ecotourism, aquaculture, and solid waste removal have helped conserve mangroves and provide livelihoods. - Over 8 million mangrove saplings have been planted and a corpus fund of 526 crores has been established through innovative resource mobilization.

1. Mangrove Conservation:
A Success Story Built
Through Multidisciplinary
Approach
-N. Vasudevan,
PCCF & MD, FDCM;
Former Head of
Mangrove Cell

2. Sl
No
State/UT Mangrove
Cover 2019
1 Andhra
Pradesh
404
2 Goa 26
3 Gujarat 1177
4 Karnataka 10
5 Kerala 9
6 Maharashtra 320
7 Orissa 251
8 Tamil Nadu 45
9 West Bengal 2112
10 Andaman &
Nicobar Islands
616
11 Daman & Diu 3
12 Puducherry 2
Total 4975

3. Mangrove Species of Maharashtra
(20 No.)
Avicennia marina
Avicennia officinalis
Rhizophora apiculata
Rhizophora mucronata
Bruguiera cylindrica
Bruguiera gymnorrhiza
Sonneratia alba
Sonneratia apetala
Sonneratia caseolaris
Dolichandron spathacea
Ceriops tagal
Kandelia candel
Aegiceras corniculatum
Excoecaria agallocha
Lumnitzera racemosa
Xylocarpus granatum
Cynometra iripa
Heritiera littoralis
Acanthus ilicifolius
Acrostichum aureum

4. Mangrove Cover Change in Maharashtra
(Source: FSI- ISFR 2019)
4
District.00 2005-13 2015 2017 2019
Mumbai 2 2 2 2.00
Mumbai
Suburban
43 48 64 64.30
Thane 53 59 90 90.66
Raigad 62 77 106 120.97
Ratnagiri 23 29 30 30.15
Sindhudurg 3 7 12 12.19
Total 186 222 304 320.27
Area in Sq. Km.

5. Mangrove Cover Change in Maharashtra (1987 to 2019)

6. Landmark Interim Order of Bombay High Court
on Mangrove Conservation (06.10.2005)
• Total freeze on the destruction and cutting of mangroves in the
State
• Regardless of ownership of the land, all construction taking place
within 50 meters on all sides of all mangroves to be forthwith
stopped;
• No development permission to be issued by any authority in
respect of any area under mangroves.
• All mangroves on Govt. land in Maharashtra to be declared as
Protected Forests and handed over to Forest Deptt.

7. Mangrove Mapping Using High Resolution Satellite Images

8. Legal, Institutional and Policy Initiatives

9. Mangrove Cell
Established by Govt. of Maharashtra in
January 2012
Mandate:
1. Conservation of Mangrove Forests of
Maharashtra
2. Coastal Biodiversity conservation

10. Notifying
Mangroves on
Govt. Land as
Reserved Forests
• Mumbai: 4500 ha
• Rest of
Maharashtra Coast:
12500 ha
• Total: 17,000 ha
10

11. Mangrove
Protection
Measures
• Creating a Special Task
Force for Mumbai
• Forest Stations established
at strategic points
• Maharashtra Security
Corporation personnel for
protection
• About 6,000 illegal hutments
removed from various parts
of Mumbai

12. Mangrove Nurseries

13. (Seedlings Planted in Lakhs)
Mangrove Plantations
2013-2021
8.3 million saplings
planted;
1819 hectares
covered;
120 locations

14. Mangrove Foundation
Established by Govt. of Maharashtra as a Registered
Society in December 2015
❖ Hon. Chief Minister is the Patron and Hon. Forest
Minister is the Chairman
❖ Corpus Fund of Rs. 526 crores
❖ Can mobilize resource from inside and outside
government
❖ Aimed at mangrove and marine biodiversity
conservation, sustainable livelihood activities,
promote research, education and awareness

15. Executive Director
Joint Director
Asst. Director
(Administration)
Asst. Director
(Finance)
Admin
Officer
Human
Resource
Officer
Finance Officer
Public
Relation
Officer
Dy. Director
(Livelihood Development)
Dy. Director
(Research & Capacity Building)
Asst.
Director
(Projects)
CSR
Coordinator
Civil
Engineer
Surveyor
Asst. Director
(Livelihood
Development)
Asst. Director
(Ecotourism)
Livelihood
Specialist
(Head
Quarter)
Livelihood
Specialist
(Thane)
Livelihood
Specialist
(Palghar)
Livelihood
Specialist
(Raigad)
Livelihood
Specialist
(Ratnagiri)
Livelihood
Specialist
(Sindhudurg)
Asst. Director
(Research)
Asst. Director
(Capacity Building)
Head (GIS Cell)
Marine
Biologist
(2)
(1
HQ,
1
Ratnagiri)
Mangrove
Ecologist
Officer
(Capacity
Building)
GIS
Specialist

16. Institutional Arrangements
at Grassroots Level
• Mangrove Co-Management Committees
at Panchayat level
• Self Help Groups of Beneficiaries
• Project Associates (Fisheries
Graduates) for Technical Guidance
• Livelihood Specialists at District Level
• Mangrove Foundation Core Team at
Mumbai HQ to Guide

17. Capacity Building and outreach

18. Internal
Capacity
Building
• Training, exposure visits for staff
• Publication of Field Guides
• Lateral induction of specialists

19. Thane Creek
Flamingo Sanctuary
Mangrove: 895 ha
Creek: 796 ha
Total Area:1691 ha

20. Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Centre,Airoli

21. Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Centre,
Airoli, Navi Mumbai

22. Community Participation

23. Clean Mangrove Campaign
➢8000 tonnes of solid waste
removed from mangroves in
Mumbai since January 2018

24. Crab Farming

25. Mussel Farming

27. Mussel and
Oyster Farming

28. Cage Culture of Fishes
Sea Bass

29. Ornamental Fish Culture
➢Central Breeding Facility
being developed at Airoli
➢One-month old fishes to be
supplied to 50 village level
SHGs
➢SHGs to rear them for 2
months

30. Community-led
Village Ecotourism
• "Swamini"-Women’s Self-Help
Group in Vengurla (Sindhudurg
Dt).
• Tourists can discover the
mangrove habitat, its associated
biodiversity and also familiarise
themselves with the local
traditions, culture and rituals.

31. Building Partnerships

32. Institutional Partners
• Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute
• Central Institute of Brackish Water Aquaculture
• Central Institute of Fisheries Technology
• Marine Products Export Development Authority
• National Institute of Oceanography
• National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Zone
Management
• Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology
• Wildlife Institute of India
• Bombay Natural History Society
• Many NGOs

33. Innovation in Resource Mobilisation

34. Contributions to the Corpus Fund of
Mangrove Foundation
Already Received
• Navi Mumbai International Airport: 116 crores
• Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link: 25 crores
• Mumbai Coastal Road: 175 crores
• Widening of Washi Bridge: 15 crores
• Bullet Train : 135 crores
• Mumbai Sewage Disposal Project: 52 crores
• Other Projects: 8 crores
Total : 526 crores
Other Sources
 State Budget
 CAMPA
 Mandatory CRZ
Requirements
 CSR Funds
 District Funds
 Urban Bodies
 Externally Aided
Projects (UNDP, GIZ,
Green Climate Fund)

35. Growth in Corpus Fund of Mangrove Foundation

36. Way Forward
• Green Climate Fund Project (2021-25)
• Expansion of livelihood activities to benefit at
least 10,000 families
• Multi-species Hatchery for Crab, Sea bass and
bivalves
• Major Mangrove Parks at Gorewada, Dahisar

37. ThankYou
N. Vasudevan
8879085704
vasuiist@gmail.com