envis newsletter3).pdf · the articles and other information should be neatly typed in double space...

Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON)

Anaikatty P.O. Coimbatore - 641108. TamilNadu

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ISSN: 0972-3153

Vol. 9(3), 2013

ENVIS Newsletteron wetland ecosystems and inland wetlands

Sarovar Saurabh

Editor in Chief

Dr.P.A.Azeez

Director, SACON & ENVIS Head

ENVIS and Editorial Team

Dr.Goldin Quadros - ENVIS Co-ordinator

Dr.B.Hemambika

Ms.A.Julffia Begam

Layout & Design

Ms.A.Julffia Begam

Published by

Environmental Information System (ENVIS)

Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON),

Anaikatty P.O. Coimbatore - 641108.

Sponsored by

Ministry of Environment and Forests

Government of India, New Delhi.

Instruction to Contributors

We welcome original research and popular articles, reviews, reports, research highlights, notes, news, snippets, etc., related to the thematic area of the ENVIS centre for publication in ‘Sarovar Saurabh the ENVIS Newsletter on Wetland ecosystems and inland wetlands’.

The articles and other information should be neatly typed in double space not exceeding five pages. The figures, graphs/drawings should be of good quality and clarity. Photographs should be of minimum 300 dpi resolution. References should be limited and cited in the text by name an year. Council of Science editors style may be referred to for listing references at th end.

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Or send the articles in hard and soft copy by post to

The ENVIS Co-ordinator,

ENVIS Centre,

Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON)

Anaikatty P.O. Coimbatore - 641108. Tamil Nadu, India

Contents Page. No.

Mangroves and its uses 1

Legislative protection of Mangrove forests

in India 7

Threat of heavy metal pollution in halophytic

and mangrove plants of Tamil Nadu, India. 8

Community based mangrove management:

A review on status and sustainability 8

Utilisation of mangrove forests in

Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary, Orissa. 8

Analysing ethnobotanical and fishery-related

importance of mangroves of the East-Godavari

Delta 8

Ethnomedicinal studies of Pichavaram

mangroves of East coast, Tamil Nadu 9

Human–mangrove conflicts: The way out 9

Newspaper Articles 10

Sarovar SaurabhENVIS Newsletter on wetland ecosystems and inland wetlands

From the Editors' desk

Mangroves globally are spread over in 117 countries along the tropics and the sub tropical regions. It is an important coastal wetland ecosystem with India being a major country with large mangroves cover. The mangrove provide several ecosystem services to the humans as well as the inland habitants, apart from being habitats for large number unique taxa during their whole period of life or during some critical stages in their life cycle. However, with several projects associate with economic development, the mangroves are under severe threat; mangroves in our lack of knowledge about their valuable ecological functions are commonly called as mosquito infested swampy regions that can be reclaimed for various developmental activities.

In this newsletter, we have brought to you the uses and importance of mangroves to humans. Further, the articles stress the need to document the valuable traditional ecological knowledge of the ecosystem that is fast losing out to the developments of the time.

We greatly value your assistance in taking this newsletter further and we solicit your feedback and inputs to make it more informative and appealing to the readers. Please share any relevant information on mangroves or similar other habitats and wetlands in general. Together we could widen our reach taking the message of wetland science conservation wider.

P A Azeez

Mangroves and its Uses

Approximately one-fourth of the world's tropical coastline is dominated by mangroves and they extend over 15.5 million hectares world-wide (Macintosh & Zisman, 1997). The most extensive and luxurious mangroves extend across the Indo-Pacific regions where they are best developed in the delta systems of major rivers. The mangrove community is dominated by plant life. The trees of the mangroves not only dominate the habitat, but also characterize it. Mangroves form unique environments and floral-faunal assemblages. They are possibly the simplest and best defined of ecosystems among the tropical forests and are one of the easiest tropical forest types to generate because of their reproductive biology and adaptation to intertidal conditions (Tomlinson, 1986).

India is home to a variety of coastal and marine ecosystems that includes 4662 sq. km of diverse mangrove forests (Forest Survey of India, 2011). Although these mangroves account for only 0.67% of the total designated forest area in India, their presence remain absolutely important under the growing concern of global reduction of mangrove habitats and need special attention. The Indian mangroves contribute significantly toward the shrinking global mangrove reserve with approximately 2.7% of the world's mangroves exist along the 7516.6 km long coastline of India (Giri et al., 2011). Official statistics from 1987 to 2011 reveals that the extent of mangrove cover actually stabilized close to 4500 sq. km since 1995 with an apparent increasing trend (Forest Survey of India, 2011; Bhatt and Kathiresan, 2012). Although, several extinction threats still persists heavily on the Indian mangroves; India, on a regional basis, sets good example in conserving and restoring this globally threatened ecosystem (Bhatt and Kathiresan, 2012).

Mangroves provide a number of valuable ecosystem services that contribute to human well-being, including provisioning (e.g., timber, fuel wood and charcoal), regulating (e.g., flood, storm and erosion control; prevention of salt water intrusion), habitat (e.g., breeding, spawning and nursery habitat for commercial fish species; biodiversity), and cultural services (e.g., recreation, aesthetic, non-use) (Spaninks and vanBeukering,1997; UNEP, 2006; TEEB, 2010). Historically, mangroves have been economically important in certain regions of the world. Mangrove products have been traded for centuries if not for millennia between east African coasts and Arabia or India and have been a traditional source of construction timber, poles, firewood and charcoal around the Indian Ocean and everywhere in the Far East. The wide variety of traditional products from mangroves produced and utilized by coastal communities is well documented (Rollet, 1981; Tomlinson, 1986; Salleh and Chan, 1987; Vannucci, 1989; Field, 1995).

Throughout the history, forest management and community perception played a crucial role in the continual existence or eradication of mangroves. Until the recent past, they were viewed as economically unproductive & mosquito infested wasteland. As a result, they were heavily exploited for timber and firewood and continuously ignored against developmental priorities. Mangroves are generally undervalued in both private and public decision-making relating to their use, conservation and restoration. The lack of understanding and information on, the values of mangrove ecosystem services has generally led to their omission in public decision making.

In India, forests including the mangroves have been an integral part of the Indian society, their culture and religious practices. Local communities not only depended on forests but also managed the forests in a sustainable manner. In recent years, many mangrove areas have been depleting due to extensive deforestation, aquaculture, industrialization and increase in human population. Here below is the information on a few mangrove species for their use by the local fishing communities in India.

SACON ENVIS Newsletter - Sarovar SaurabhVol.9(3), 2013. ISSN:0972-3153

1

Photograph Courtesy: Goldin Quadros

2SACON ENVIS Newsletter - Sarovar SaurabhVol.9(3), 2013. ISSN:0972-3153

Avicennia marina

Uses:

Avicennia officinalis

Uses:

Sonneratia apetala

Uses:

Family: Avicenniaceae©It is one of the front mangroves. It requires continuous inundation by tidal

waters.©The pneumatophores are narrow and pointed. ©The stem is stout, inclined and is supported by columnar roots. The branches

are well spread out with dense foliage. ©The leaves are sessile, ovate, with an acute apex. They are thick, with water

storage tissue; upper surface is shiny and lower surface is white due to salt accumulated which is extruded from the salt glands. The flowers are fragrant, yellow.

©This mangrove species grows in highly saline soils.©This species can be distinguished from other Avicennia species by its elliptic

oblong or elliptic ovate leaves and very short beaked, bean-like fruits.

1) Wood used as fuel, fencing and poles, Leaves used as fodder, Used for pilings.2) Aromatic, bitter juice used as abortifacient. 3) Bark used for tanning.4) Astringent. 5) Small pox. 6) Honey collection.

Family: Avicenniaceae©A small tree with smooth pale bark.©Leaves have elliptic, oblong or obovate, lamina, apex obtuse, surface glabrous, smooth and shining above, pale below with hard thin tomentum, base acute, main veins 4-6 pairs with reticulate venation.©Flowers dingy yellow, sessile in small heads on rigid angular peduncles, which are often two together in upper axils.©Calyx 5 partite, almost at the base, sepals broadly ovate, concave ciliate.©Corolla - lobes 4, ovate, acute subequal. Stamens exerted, Ovary and style villous, stigma shortly bifid. ©Capsule ovoid, compressed, beaked, green, wrinkled especially at the base.©Seed completely filling the fruit often germinating on the tree.

1) Wood used for small cabinet work, creosoted paving blocks. 2) Bark used for tanning.3) Ashes mixed with paint, to make them adhere more firmly. 4) Green fruits made into poultice for boils.5) Leaves used as a fodder, propagules though bitter are also used as fodder.6) Diuretic, leprosy treatment, relieving ulcers and aphrodisiac.

Family: SonneretiaceaeTrees grow up to 30 m tall, crown large, branches many, drooping, bark

thin, light-brown, irregularly fissured; buttresses not prominent; pneumatophores 60-150 cm long, arising from horizontal roots, corky, forked twice or thrice, associated with anchor roots and nutrition roots. Leaves 4-10 x 2-3 cm, thick, narrowly elliptic-oblong, tapering towards apex, attenuated at base. Flowers 1.5-2 cm across, apetalous, cream colored, arranged in axillary, 3 flowered dichasial or 7 flowered cymes from the branch axils; calyx 4-merous, reflexed; petals absent; stamens many; stigma large, umbrella shaped. Fruit 2-2.5 cm across, a globose berry seated on the flattened calyx-tube, many seeded and shortly pointed at apex. Flowers in solitary or dichasia cymes. Gregarious, often as a pioneer species on newly formed mudflats. The species is easily identified from the other two species of the genus by its narrowly elliptic leaves, apetalous flowers, 4-merous calyx and large umbrella-shaped stigma.

1) Wood used for packing cases, especially useful for opium chests.2) Timber used in house construction, planks, door boards, rough furniture, boat building, making textile mill bobbins & jute mill

rollers.3) Fruits eaten in curries.4) Bark and fruits used for tanning.5) Hepatitis.

3 SACON ENVIS Newsletter - Sarovar SaurabhVol.9(3), 2013. ISSN:0972-3153

Sonneratia alba

Uses

Rhizophora apiculata

Uses:

Rhizophora mucronata

Uses:

Family: SonneratiaceaeSmall trees up to 5 m tall, much branched, pneumatophores many, corky.

Leaves glabrous, coriaceous, 5-7.5 x 4-6 cm, elliptic, oblong or suborbicular, obtuse at apex, narrowed to a short petiole at base; petiole 3-6 mm long. Flowers 3-5 cm across, white; calyx-tube cup shaped, 6-8 lobed, lobes obscure in flower, distinct in fruit, petals white, small, ovary depressed globose; style up to 4 cm long, stigma capitate. Fruit 3 cm in diameter, obconical with persistent calyx and pointed style.The species closely resembles Sonneratia caseolaris, but is distinguished from its ribbed calyx with obconical base.

1)Used as vegetable, fuelwood, timber and fodder.2)Flowers are used in sprains and swellings.3)The extract is also used in skin disease.

Family: RhizophoraceaeTrees grow up to 30 m tall with pyramidal crowns and many ascending branches;

stem base supported by numerous branches stilt-roots. Leaves 10-20 x 5-8 cm, elliptic-oblong, coriaceaous, entire, acute or apiculate at apex, cuneate at base. Flowers 10-12 mm across, sessile, white or cream-colored in pairs of upper leaf axils; calyx 4 lobed, concave, accrescent, reflexed in fruit; corolla 4 lobed, lobed fleshy, glabrous, caduceus; stamens 12, 4 episepalous paired, 4 epipetalous. Hypocotyle 30-50 cm long, cylindrical, clavate.Rhizophora apiculata is distinguished from the other two species by its acute leaf tip, 2 flowered inflorescence, glabrous petal lobes and 12 stamens of flowers.

1)Yields pulp for blotting and corrugating papers.2)Astringent for diarrohea, skin disease, nausea.3)Fodder.4)Fuelwood.5)Bark used for tanning.

Family: RhizophoraceaeTrees grow up to 20 m tall with many upwardly growing branches; leaf scars

prominent, close; stem base supported by numerous branches stilt-roots. Leaves 10-18 x 4-10 cm, broadly elliptic or ovate-oblong, coriaceaous, abruptly acute or blunt with a rolled up tip (mucro) at apex, cuneate at base. Flowers in axillary cymes,4-8 in number, pedicellate, cream colored, fragrant; calyx 12-14 mm long, ovate; petals 9-10 mm long, lanceolate, fleshy, villose; stamens 6-8 mm long, 8 in number, 4 episepalous, 4 epipetalous; style 1-2 mm; free part of ovary emerging above the disk. Hypocotyle 30-65 cm long, cylindrical.

Rhizophora mucronata is readily recognized from Rhizophora apiculata from its axillary cymes with more than two flowers, hairy petals and 8 stamens.

1) Wood used for heavy construction, logs used as poles for temporary bridges, buffers, mine and pit props, brake blocks, stakes for fish traps, tool handles, mallet heads and to make dug out boats.2) Bark richest source of condensed type of tannin, which is used in leather industry. Spent bark exploited as a source of furfural.3) Bark astringent used in haemorrhages, haematuria and angina.4) Fruits eaten, juice made into a wine, young shoots cooked and eaten.5) Baskets for sifting grains are made from split stems.6) Yields good quality charcoal.


Brugueira gymnorhiza

Uses:

Bruguiera cylindrica

Uses:

Ceriops decandra

Uses:

Family: RhizophoraceaeªMedium height, 30 m tall tree, much densely spreading branches.

Branches and stems marked with leaf-scars and stipules. ªShort or shallow buttressed like aerial roots, thickened trunk base. ªLeaves opposite decussate, simple, cauline, exstipulate, petiolate, elliptic

oblong, acute apex, or bluntly pointed, coriaceous 8 - 22 cm long and5.0 - 7.5 cm broad, dark green.

ªFlowers solitary axillary, calyx deep orange red/yellow, ribbed, campanulate, large (3 - 4 cm).

ªCalyx tip acute, 11 - 13 numbers. Petals 1.2 - 1.6 cm long. tips acute.

ªFruit capsule, pendulous with persistent calyx; seed one, fruit falls on the ground along with the seedling. ªHypocotyle upto 25 cm long, blunt apically, slightly angular, blackish dark green, vertical narrow ridges, showy with

distinct persistent reddish calyx.

1)Wood used in making boats and telephone poles.2)Fuelwood and fodder.3)Hypocotyls eaten as vegetable.4)Flowers used in eye disease. 5)Leaves used for treating blood pressure.

Family: RhizophoraceaeSmall trees grow up to 20 m tall, stem-base buttressed, producing oval shaped

knee-bent roots; young twigs and bark bronze colored with many stipular scars. Leaves 8-15 x 2-6 cm, oblanceolate, acute at apex, cuneate at base; petioles green. Flowers 1-1.5 cm long, creamish white, 3, in axillary pedunculate cymes; calyx-tube smooth, cup-shaped with 8-10 reflexed lobes; petals bilobed with a bristle in the sinus, each lobe with 3 apical cilia, margins hairy. Hypocotyle 10-14 cm, cylindric, obscurely ribbed and slightly curved towards apex. Carpex 2.5mm long.Occasionally occur in pure stands or in association with Bruguiera parviflora in sheltered estuarine parts of mangroves. This species is distinguished from Bruguiera parviflora from its bronze colored twigs, glabrous calyx-tube which equals its lobes in length.

1)Used in tannin extraction, timber and fuel-wood.2)Leaves, flowers and roots used in hepatitis.3)Leaves used for treating blood pressure.4)The leaves are used as fodder for livestock.

Family: RhizophoraceaeGlabrous shrubs or small trees, 2-4 m tall; bark light grey, peeling off into thin flakes; stem base pyramidal with many stilt roots. Leaves 4-10 x 2-6 cm, elliptic-oblong or obovate, emarginated at apex, cuneate at base. Flowers 3-4 mm across, white in axillary condensed cymes; calyx 5-6 merous, each 3-4 mm long; petals 5-6, each 2.5 mm long apex tipped with many ciliae. Hypocotyle 10-12 c m l o n g , a n g u l a r , s u l c a t e . F r u i t s o v o i d , c o n i c a l .Ceriops decandra is distinguished from Ceriops tagal by its shrubby form, petals fringed with many ciliae and anther lobes than the filaments, shorter hypocotyl with ridges, tending to face upward.

1)Used as timber, fodder and fuel.2)Fruit paste used against ulcers.3)The plant is good for honey and mangrove tea.4)Used in the treatment of malaria.


Ceriops tagal

Lumnitzera racemosa

Uses:

Salvadora persica

Uses:

Family: RhizophoraceaeSmall trees grow up to 6 m tall, much branched, stem base pyramidal in outline

buttressed and with stilt roots. Leaves 6-12 x 3-6 cm, ovate-oblong or obovate, leathery, emarginated or rounded at apex, cuneate at base. Flowers 5-7 mm across, white, resinous, in upper axillary condensed cymes; calyx 5 lobed, lobes linear, petals 5, each 3-3.5 mm long with 3 clavate appendages at the tip and uncinate hairs at base; stamens 10 alternately long and short. Fruit slightly conical. Hypocotyle 20-25 cm long, gradually thickening towards the pointed apex, deeply grooved and ribbed, reddish-brown.

This species can be distinguished from Ceriops decandra by its longer hypocotyles with ridges tending to face downwards.

1)Purgative.2)Bark is used to stop hemorrhages, leprosy.3)Charcoal and Fuel-wood.4)Shoot decoction used in Malaria.5)Tanin used in net preservation. 6)Leaves are used as Mangrove tea.

Family: CombretaceaeLarge shrubs or small trees grow upto 8 m tall, glabrous; bark brownish, lenticellate. Leaves sessile, thick, crowded at branch endings, 4-8 x 1.5-3.5 cm, oblanceolate or obovate, entire, emarginate at apex, tapering at base. Flowers sessile, in short, lax. axillary spikes. 9-11 mm long, white; calyx-lube produced above the ovary; petals 5; stamens 10 or rarely fewer; ovary one celled, inferior. Fruits 8-10 x 4-6 mm, ellipsoid, woody, crowned with persistent calyx lobes one seeded. Often found in association with Ceriops tagal or forming pure stands. This species can be recognized in the field by its reddish brown bark of the stem, succulent spatula-like leaves with an apical notch and vase-shaped fruits.

1)Useful in anti fertility and asthma treatments. 2)Used in snake bites.

Family: Salvadoracae©Shrubs or trees.©A large and much branched evergreen shrub or small tree with soft, whitish

yellow wood.©Leaves some what fleshy, often mucronate at the apex or obtuse.©Flowers greenish yellow in axillary and terminal compound lax panicles,

corolla very thin.©Stamens shorter than the corolla but much exerted owing to the corolla lobes

being reflexed.©Fruit globose, smooth, red when ripe.©Flowering : November to February.

1) Used in the preparation of toothpaste Meswak.2) Leaves eaten as vegetable and used in sauces, Tender shoots and leaves eaten in salads.3) Leaves used as camel fodder.4) Fruits edible, sweet used in the preparation of fermenting drink.5) Fresh root bark used as a vesicant and used as an ingredient of snuff.6) Decoction used as a tonic and emmenagogue.7) Stem bark used for gastric trouble and as a ascarifuge.8) Decoction of leaves used in asthma and cough; their poultice used for piles & tumors.9) Fruits deobstruent, carminative, lithnotriptic, diuretic used in biliousnes and rheumatism.10) Seeds purgative and tonic and yield a fatty oil used on rheumatic swellings.

Uses:



Excoecaria agallocha

Uses:

Acanthus ilicifolius

Uses:

Family: Euphorbiaceae©A small, poisonous, evergreen tree with highly acrid juice.©Leaves alternate, thickly coriaceous, elliptic, acuminate, entire or serrate. ©fragrant, minute, yellowish green.©Male flowers in spikes, sepals 3 and stamens 3©Ovary 3 celled, style free. Capsule 3 lobed.©Flowering : July - August.©It is a mangrove associate.

1) Wood used for toys, legs of bed stead, floats for fishing nets, packing cases. and general carpentary work, can be used for power alcohol manufacture.

2) Bark contains tannin, is emitic.3) Latex applied to obstinate ulcers also used in preprations for rheumatism, leprosy and paralysis. It is a drastic purgative

and abortifacient. Used as a fish poison.4) Decoction of leaves is given in epilepsy.5) Roots enter into embrocations for swellings.

Family: Acanthaceae©A small erect shrub, growing in tidal swamps.©Leaves opposite, oblong, or elliptic pinnatifid or toothed, stiff acute or truncate margins with

sharp spinous teeth on the ends of lateral veins.©Flowers sessile on opposite pairs forming terminal crowded spikes, calyx deeply divided,

lobes 4 in 2 opposite parts.©Corolla blue, bilabiate.©Stamens 4, didynamous, thick, anthers 1- celled, densely hairy.©Ovary 2 celled, ovules 4, style slender, stigma bilipped.©Fruit capsule, oblong.©It is a mangrove associate.

1) Leaves employed for fomentation in neuralgia and rheumatism, also used as a expectorant, powdered leaves used as food for fishes and prawns.

2) Roots used in Asthma, paralysis, Leucorrhea and debility.3) Flowers are used as blood purifier and as aphrodisiac. 4) Bark flowers and leaves are used in stomach pain, snake bites and skin diseases.

References

Bhatt, J.R. and Kathiresan, K. (2012). Valuation, carbon sequestration potential and restoration of mangrove ecosystems in India. In: Sharing Lessons on Mangrove Restoration, Proceedings and a Call for Action from an MFF Regional Colloquium, pp. 19-38.

Field, C. (1995). Journeys Amongst Mangroves. International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems, Okinawa, Japan. Pub. South China Printing Co., Hong Kong, 140pp.

Forest Survey of India (2011). State Forest Report.Giri, C., Ochieng, E., Tieszen, L.L., Zhu, Z., Singh, A., Loveland, T., Masek, J. and Duke, N. (2011). Status and distribution of mangrove

forests of the world using earth observation satellite data. Global Ecology and Biogeography 20 (1), 154-159.Macintosh, D. and Zisman, S. (1997). The Status of the Mangrove Ecosystem: Trends in the Utilisation and Management of Mangrove

Resources. And references cited therein. Unpublished, 25pp.Rollet, B. (1981). Bibliography on Mangrove Research 1600-1975. UNESCO Paris. Pub. Information Retrieval Ltd., London, 479pp.Salleh, M.N. and Chan, H.T. (1987). Traditional uses of the mangrove ecosystems. Mangrove Ecosystems Occasional Papers Number

1, UNDP/UNESCO Regional Mangroves Project, 31pp.

Spaninks, F. and Beukering, P.V. (1997). Economic Valuation of Mangrove Ecosystems: Potential and Limitations. CREED Working

Paper 14. TEEB (2010). In: Kumar, Pushpam (Ed.), The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity: Ecological and Economic Foundations.

Earthscan, London and Washington. Tomlinson, P.B. (1986). The Botany of Mangroves. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 413pp.UNEP, (2006). Marine and Coastal Ecosystems and Human Well-Being: A Synthesis Report Based on the Findings of the Millennium

Ecosystem Assessment. UN Environment Programme, Nairobi.Vannucci, M. (1989). The Mangroves and Us. Indian Association for the Advancement of Science, New Delhi, 203pp.

Indian mangroves were very much a part of the vast forest resources of the country and were managed accordingly. The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, popularly known as the Ramsar Convention was particularly important in promoting mangrove conservation in India. The local communities while obtaining benefits from the mangroves also sustainably managed the forests. However, as the Indian civilization progressed under different administrative regime the local communities gradually lost their traditional right over the forest.

The Indian mangrove habitats enjoy the legislative protection under the Indian Forest Conservation Act, 1980 & the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The two acts essentially categorize the forests in to various classes with respect to their degree of ecological importance. This categorization closely resemble with the different types of IUCN classified protected areas. Presently, the mangroves habitats are classified in either of the following category such as National Park (IUCN category II), Wildlife sanctuary (IUCN category IV), Reserve & protected forests (IUCN category IV/VI) and community reserves (category VI). Moreover, the designated status is often upgraded to provide more legal protection to the mangroves.

Coastal Zoning is essentially important to conserve the mangroves and to restrict coastal urbanization and other developmental activities. For such purpose, the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF), Government of India issued the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification under the Environmental Protection Act, 1986. This notification declares coastal stretches of seas, bays, estuaries, creeks, rivers and backwaters, which are influenced by tidal action in the landward side up to500 m from high tide line (HTL) and the land between the Low Tide Line (LTL) as Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ Notification, 1991; revised in 2011).

Under the present coastal zone regulation, all the Indian mangroves are covered under the CRZ I and receives strong legal protection under the Environmental Protection Act, 1986. The Environmental Protection Act also regulates other activities that may adversely affect the sensitive ecosystems through the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification (EIA), 1994. Furthermore, Coastal Aquaculture Authority Act, 2005 is also considered a recent development with respect to the protection of mangroves. Several other legislative measures (Acts & Policies) are also in place which can be indirectly attributed toward the conservation of mangroves.

List of secondary legislation for Mangrove protection

Source: Rajarshi DasGupta and Rajib Shaw Changing perspectives of mangrove management in India - Analytical overview Ocean & Coastal Management 80 (2013) 107-118.

Legislative protection of Mangrove forests in India

Acts

Year

Key features in Mangrove protection

Indian fisheries act

1897

Regulates the uses of dynamites

and explosives for fishing, control

of fishing in eco-sensitive areas.

Indian port act

1908

Regulates the port, movement of

vessels & safety.

Coast guard act

1950

Responsible for controlling of water

pollution in marine & estuarine

environment, control of illegal

poaching & intrusion.

Merchant shipping act

1958

Regulates and controls shipping

pollution in marine environments.

Water (prevention & control

of pollution) act

1974

Control discharge into marine

environment (from Land).

Maritime zone act

1976

Describes various zones such as

the EEZ, continental shelf etc

Marine fishing regulation act 1978 Provides guidelines to regulate fishing

in

territorial waters, regulate mesh sizes, zones for fishing sectors.

National environmental

tribunal act

1995

Provision of compensation for

damaging life,

property & environment

due to the use of hazardous

substance and their release in

environment.

Coastal pollution regulation

zones (COPOCS Program)

1982

Assess pollution status in coastal

areas.

Coastal ocean monitoring

and prediction systems (COMAPS)

1991

Assess the health of coastal waters,

pollution monitoring, regulation &

legislation recommendation

UNCLOS

1995

Provides legal framework for issues

related to oceans and seas

Review of CRZ notification

by Swaminathan committee

2004

Incorporation of more integrated

and scientific management of

Coastal Zones.

Coastal aquaculture authority act 2005Regulates development of aquaculture pond in coastal areas



Abstracts form Published LiteratureThreat of heavy metal pollution in halophytic and mangrove plants of

Tamil Nadu, India

Community based mangrove management: A review on status and sustainability

Utilisation of mangrove forests in Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary, Orissa

a a b*Govindasamy Agoramoorthy , Fu-An Chen , Minna J. Hsu a Department of Pharmacy, Tajen University, Yanpu, Pingtung 907, Taiwan

b Department of Biological Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan

Abstract

Mangrove and halophytic plants occur along the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, south India and these plants have been used in traditional medicine for centuries. Heavy metals are known to pose a potential threat to terrestrial and aquatic biota. However, little is known on the toxic levels of heavy metals found in mangrove and halophytic plants that are used in traditional medicine in India. To understand heavy metal toxicity, we investigated the bioconcentration factors (BCF) of heavy metals in leaves collected from eight mangroves and five halophytes in the protected Pichavaram mangrove forest reserve in Tamil Nadu State, South India. Data presented in this paper describe the impact of essential (Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn and Zn) and non-essential/environmentally toxic trace metals (Hg, Pb and Sn) in mangrove and halophytic medicinal plants. The concentrations of Pb among 13 plant species were higher than the normal range of contamination reported for plants. The average concentration of Hg in the halophytic plants (0.43 0.37 mg/g) was seven times higher than mangrove plants (0.06 0.03 mg/g) and it indicated pollutants from industrial sources affecting halophytes more than mangroves.

Keywords: Mangroves; Halophytes; Heavy metals; Bioconcentration factors; Environmental conservation; India

Source: Environmental Pollution 155 (2008) 320-326

a,b,* c aDebajit Datta , R.N. Chattopadhyay , P. Guha a Department of Agricultural and Food Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721302, West Bengal, India

b Department of Geography, Taki Government College, Taki, West Bengal, Indiac Department of Architecture and Regional Planning, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721302, India

Abstract

Community Based Mangrove Management (CBMM) has been advocated by both academia and governing agencies as a viable alternative for sustainably managing the ecologically important mangrove forests which are disappearing rapidly worldwide. Drawing insights from diverse sustainability issues, capabilities and performances of worldwide CBMM initiatives were examined in this paper. Higher numbers of CBMM initiatives were reported from South Asia and lesser from South America and Africa. Identification of the causes of degradation at a site and use-specific zonal replantations with respect to species associations were identified as major criteria of ecological sustainability. Regarding economic sustainability, transformation of potential uses of mangroves known by local communities into actual ones was found to be necessary. Proper disbursement of accrued benefits among community members irrespective of their socio-cultural status is also a major concern. Restructuring of CBMM institutions by ensuring participation of subsistence based users in decision-making and resource sharing have been identified as a prime determinant of institutional sustainability. However, limited number of studies on socio-political and institutional aspects as well as impacts of globalization induced socio-cultural transformations of communities on CBMM had been actually found. More focused researches on these aspects had been recommended for better community management of these highly stressed forests.

Keywords: Alternative livelihood; Coastal indigenous community; Community based mangrove management; Community institution; Sustainability

Source: Journal of Environmental Management 107 (2012) 84-95

l* 2 3Chiranjibi Pattanaik , C S Reddy', N K Dhal & Rasta Das

'Forestry & Ecology Division, National Remote Sensing Agency, Hyderabad 500 037, Andhra Pradesh2Natural Products Department, Regional Research Laboratory, CSIR, Bhubaneswar 751 013, Orissa

3Deparmment of Botany, Berhampur University, Berhampur 760 007, OrissaE-mail: [email protected]

AbstractFifty one mangrove plant species and its associates were collected from Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary, Kendrapara district, Orissa. Among those plants, Rhizophoraceae members were recorded maximum in number (9 species) followed by Meliaceae (4), and Caesalpiniaceae (4). The inhabitants of the surrounding areas depend on the mangrove forests for their daily needs like food, timber, fuelwood, medicine and other traditional products. The paper provides field information on traditional products and medicinal uses of 51 taxa of mangrove plants recorded through interviews of local people of the sanctuary areas. Species are arranged alphabetically providing plant name, family, local name, parts used, habitat and uses.

Keywords: Mangrove forests; Traditional knowledge; Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary; OrissaSource: Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 7(4), October 2008, pp. 598-603


Analysing ethnobotanical and fishery-related importance of mangroves of the East-Godavari Delta (Andhra Pradesh, India) for conservation and management purposes

Ethnomedicinal studies of Pichavaram mangroves of East coast, Tamil Nadu

Human–mangrove conflicts: The way out

*1 1 3 4 3F Dahdouh-Guebas , S Collin , D Lo Seen , P Rönnbäck , D Depommier ,5 2T Ravishankar and N Koedam

1 Biocomplexity Research Team, c/o, Mangrove Management Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium2 Laboratory of General Botany and Nature Management, Mangrove Management Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium

3Institut Français de Pondichéry, Rue St. Louis 11, BP 33, 605001 Pondicherry, India 4Department of Systems Ecology, University of Stockholm, Frescati Backe, S-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden

5M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Regional Office, 7-5A-2/1 Gopalakrishna Street, Ramaraopet 533004 Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, India

* AbstractMangrove forests, though essentially common and wide-spread, are highly threatened. Local societies along with their knowledge about the mangrove also are endangered, while they are still under represented as scientific research topics. With the present study we document local utilization patterns, and perception of ecosystem change. We illustrate how information generated by ethnobiological research can be used to strengthen the management of the ecosystem. This study was conducted in the Godavari mangrove forest located in the East-Godavari District of the state Andhra Pradesh in India, where mangroves have been degrading due to over-exploitation, extensive development of aquaculture, and pollution from rural and urbanized areas (Kakinada). One hundred interviews were carried out among the fisher-folk population present in two mangrove zones in the study area, a wildlife sanctuary with strong conservation status and an adjacent zone. Results from the interviews indicated that Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh., a dominant species in the Godavari mangroves, is used most frequently as firewood and for construction. Multiple products of the mangrove included the bark of Ceriops decandra (Griff.) Ding Hou to dye the fishing nets and improve their durability, the bark of Aegiceras corniculatum (L.) Blanco to poison and catch fish, and the leaves of Avicennia spp. and Excoecaria agallocha L. as fodder for cattle. No medicinal uses of true mangrove species were reported, but there were a few traditional uses for mangrove associates. Utilization patterns varied in the two zones that we investigated, most likely due to differences in their ecology and legal status. The findings are discussed in relation with the demographic and socio-economic traits of the fisher-folk communities of the Godavari mangroves and indicate a clear dependency of their livelihood on the mangrove forest. Reported changes in the Godavari mangrove cover also differed in the two zones, with significantly less perceptions of a decrease in the protected area, as compared to the adjacent non-protected area. A posteriori comparisons between sequential satellite imagery (retrospective till 1977) and respondents that were at least 15 years back then, revealed a mangrove decrease which was however perceived to different extents depending on the area with which the fishermen were familiar. While local needs had not been incorporated in the existing policy, we created a framework on how data on ethnobotanical traditions, fishery-related activities and local people's perceptions of change can be incorporated into management strategies.Source: Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 2006, 2:24

* l l 1 2K C Ravindranl , K Venkatesan , V Balakrishnan , K P Chellappan and T Balasubramanian1Department of Botany, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar 608 002, Tamil Nadu

2CAS in Marine Biology, Annamalai University, Parangipettai 608 502, Tamil Nadu

*E-mail: [email protected]

AbstractThe present paper describes medicinal properties of mangroves and halophytes used by local inhabitants of Pichavaram village on East coast of Tamil Nadu, collected through survey of the area. Information on 11 species from 8 families used for therapeutic purposes with their botanical names, vernacular names, family, habit and manner of using recipes have been enumerated.

Keywords: Pichavaram; Mangroves; Ethomedicine; Tamil Nadu

Source: Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 4(4), October 2005, pp. 409-411

*1 2 3V. P. Upadhyay , Rajiv Ranjan and J. S. Singh1Eastern Regional Office, Ministry of Environmentand Forests, Bhubaneswar 751 023, India

2Forest Department, Dharwad, India3Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221 005, India

*E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract2Mangrove resources are available in approximately 117 countries, covering an area of 190,000 to 240,000 km . Countries like

Indonesia, Nigeria and Australia have the largest mangrove areas. These ecosystems harbour 193 plant species, 397 fishes, 259 crabs, 256 molluscs, 450 insects and more than 250 other associated species. Mangrove ecosystem has the highest level of productivity among natural ecosystems, and performs several ecosystem services. The continued exploitation of mangroves worldwide has led to habitat loss, changes in species composition, loss of biodiversity and shifts in dominance and survival ability. Worldwide, about half of the mangroves have been destroyed. The Indian mangrove biodiversity is rather high. The increase in the biotic pressure on mangroves in India has been mainly due to land use changes and on account of multiple uses such as for fodder, fuel wood, fibre, timber, alcohol, paper, charcoal and medicine. Along the west coast alone, almost 40% of the mangrove area has been converted to agriculture and urban development. Our understanding of the natural processes in this vulnerable and fragile ecosystem is far from adequate. Environmental awareness, proper management plan and greater thrust on ecological research on mangrove ecosystems may help save and restore these unique ecosystems.Source: Current Science, Vol. 83, No. 11, 2010 : 1328 -1336

Email: [email protected]


Report on Sunderbans

biodiversity soon

Concern over reclamation of Maharashtra govt to revive Ashtamudi Lake

Sewri flamingo tourism proposal

the wetland conservation laws in force. The 61.4 sq km lake had now shrunk to 34 sq km due to unauthorised reclamation, Mr. Madhusudhanan said.

It was sad that the current The World Wildlife Fund for reclamation was being done under the

Nature (WWF) and the World Bank will label of a government project.soon come up with a comprehensive and detailed report on the biodiversity of The unscientific construction Sunderbans that will include everything of the Dalawapuram bridge across the from different microbial organisms to lake a few years ago had resulted in heavy the mega flora and mega fauna present in sedimentation, an impediment to the archipelago. navigation in the area. Prior to the

construction of the bridge, the lake could Over 20 experts from different be used even by large mechanised boats. government organisations have spent But, now vast stretches of the lake were about three years to come up with a not even 6 inches deep during low tide, voluminous work that will be released he said.soon, Anurag Danda, the Head of Climate Adaptation and Sunderbans A course of the NW-III passed Landscape of WWF, told The Hindu on through the area and a contractor was Thursday. awarded dredging work. It was the

contractor’s job to transport the dredged “Unless ecologists and policy sand and clay way from the place. But, the

framers are aware of the huge dredged material was now being dumped biodiversity of the region conservation on the bank, in a private property and and managements of the Sunderbans is over half an acre of the lake was slowly like groping in the dark,” Mr. Danda said, turning into land, he said.adding that the purpose of the entire exerc i se was to “gather more information about biodiversity of the region about which we know so little.”

Pipes had been laid from the dredging site to take the clay and sand

“The Sunderbans is recognised directly to the area being reclaimed. A as the only mangrove forest in the world clay embankment had been erected along that is the habitat of the tiger. But the site. The reclamation was being conservation of tigers is not an end in carried out after the destruction of a itself. Protecting the tiger that is a large mangrove forest, he said.predator means conservation of the entire ecosystem,” he said.

The mangroves were planted there as part of a Rs.23-lakh afforestation programme supported by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests during 2005-06. Under the programme, 2.45 lakh mangrove saplings were planted along the banks of the lake. And as environmental activists began

I n s p i t e o f t h e S t a t e quest ioning the reclamation at government’s announcement that Dalwapuram, the labourers of the wetlands will be conserved, massive contractors had cut the branches of the reclamation of Ashtamudi Lake is being trees in the mangrove area and placed it reported at Dalawapuram in Kollam. diligently on the embankment. This was

to create the impression that the dredged A large portion of the lake was material was being dumped on a piece of

being reclaimed under the guise of land behind the mangrove area, Mr. developing the National Waterway III Madhusudhanan said.(NW III), environmental activist V.K. Madhusudhanan, who visited the site on Monday, said.

This was happening in spite of

Source:

Source:

Source:

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-08-28/flora-

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp- fauna/41537697_1_maharashtra-govt-national/report-on-sunderbans-biodiversity- tourism-zone-mudflatssoon/article4907571.ece

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/concern-over-reclamation-of-ashtamudi-lake/article5091700.ece

flamingos, which visit the area every year from the Rann of Kutch, will be part of the initial plan for the zone to be prepared by the tourism department with BMC help.

Jayant Patil, guardian minister of the island city, visited the mudflats on Monday and held a meeting with officials of the BMC and the Mumbai Port Trust to chalk out a blueprint for the proposal.

Patil said the officials had identified a tract of land overlooking the mudflats where most of the facilities can be built without going for major reclamation or causing damage to the flamingo habitat.

"This land has hard rock under nea th and can ho ld the construction we plan to do for the development of the site as a tourist zone," Patil said. "There is much that can be done for the preservation of this site. Most people still do not visit this site because of lack of awareness."

BMC had floated a similar proposal, but it never saw the light of day as conservationists opposed it.

Conservationists are opposed to government plans to open the land around the site for development of infrastructure projects and other private urbanization as they say reclamation and construction will destroy the natural habitat.

M U M B A I : T h e s t a t e government is attempting to revive a proposal that seeks to declare the Sewri mudflats, famed for attracting the pink-feathered flamingos, a tourism zone.

The plan is to go for specialized development in and around the area to attract more visitors.

Viewing galleries and other facilities to help visitors spot the

Mangrove destruction

Afforestation scheme

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