Mangroove Cell, Maharashtra
Mangrove Cell - Maharashtra Forest Department
- Maharashtra has a long coastline of about 720 kilometres, which is home to a diverse range of coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, corals, rocky shores, sandy shores, mudflats, etc. The coastal and marine environment not only supports an astounding variety of flora and fauna but also provides a number of ecosystem services, which are crucial to the sustenance of life and renders livelihood security to coastal communities.
- Taking this into consideration, for the protection and conservation of mangroves ecosystem, research programmes on endangered species in coastal and marine habitat and to pilot projects for improving the livelihood of coastal communities through sustainable livelihood activities, The Mangrove Cell was established in 2012 by the Government of Maharashtra under the Forest Department.
- Mangrove Cell is headed by Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF). In addition, Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) was appointed to boost the efforts of mangrove protection in the State.
- Considering the increased pressures of development, waste dumping, pollution and encroachment in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, a specialized unit called Mumbai Mangrove Conservation Unit (MMCU) have been formed under the Mangrove Cell. MMCU was created by the Government of Maharashtra on May 17, 2013, and is headed by a Divisional Forest Officer (DFO).
- The High Court judgment mandated that mangroves on government land be declared as ‘Protected Forests’ and those on private lands, as ‘Forests’.
- The establishment of the Mangrove Cell initiated a series of measures for the conservation of mangroves in Maharashtra. Mangrove Cell has taken a block by block approach towards mangrove conservation from raising mangrove nurseries to large-scale plantations in degraded areas to conducting ‘Clean Mangrove Campaigns’ to various awareness programmes.
Mangrove Cell has made concerted efforts to enhance the mangrove cover of the State by the following initiatives:
1. Mangrove Protection
Protection of mangroves which are declared as ‘Reserve Forest’ as per the Indian Forest Act, 1927, which are under the possession of Mangrove Cell
Satellite mapping to closely monitor the status of mangroves in Maharashtra
Patrolling in the Mangrove Forests
Encroachment removal of illegal shanties on mangrove land
Capacity Building of staff for effective conservation and protection measures
2. Mangrove Afforestation
Raising of mangrove saplings in nurseries across different coastal districts
Plantation of mangrove and mangrove associate species in degraded mangrove areas
3. Clean-up Campaigns
Annual Mangrove cleanup drives across the state are conducted
The Clean Mangrove Campaign, a three-year joint initiative started in 2015, by the citizens of Mumbai city and Mangrove Cell, made it to the Limca Book of Records. This was one of the biggest government-citizen partnership projects. In this campaign 8,000 tonnes of garbage (mostly plastic) was cleared, covering 11.03 sq.km of mangroves across Mumbai.
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4. Awareness Generation
Nature education & Mangrove trail
Celebration of ‘Nature and Wildlife’ days
Sensitizing young minds about the coastal and marine biodiversity of Maharashtra,
Conducting Poster presentation, Photography competition, Painting competition, Quiz competition, Exhibitions for youth
Awareness generation workshops for fishing communities about the marine protected species
Development of ‘Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Centre’ (CMBC) at Airoli, Navi Mumbai
