Extinct mangrove species sighted after 150 years

KOLLAM: A mangrove species, long believed to have gone extinct in the State, was sighted on an isolated private island of Ashtamudi Lake in Kollam. ‘Ceriops tagal' or the yellow mangrove has been listed by the Forest Department as a “mangrove species that had disappeared from Kerala.”

But last week, Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad activist V.K. Madhusudhanan chanced upon the “disappeared” yellow mangroves, sporting a spectacular greenish yellow canopy of leaves on the 40-acre Puthenthuruthu island not far from the Neendakara estuary. He was at the island for an inspection on alleged mangrove destruction in the area.

A mother tree

Mr. Madhusudhanan told The Hindu that he identified the yellow mangroves from a dense collection of at least five other species of mangroves. He also noted a quite mature mother yellow mangrove there and believes that the grove of yellow mangroves on the island could have germinated from the mother tree.

His finding has been confirmed by botanist N. Ravi who also visited the site along with S. Sun, Assistant Conservator of Forests (Social Forestry) on Monday. Mr. Sun said that the sighting of yellow mangroves is exciting news for the Forest Department and the island will be seen as a botanical treasure. Yellow mangroves have great value as a fisheries habitat.

Next move

In the wake of the find, he will now send a proposal to the department's top brass to consider acquiring the entire island. Recognising the importance of mangroves, the State government has made substantial monetary allocations for acquiring and protecting private land with rich mangrove forests.

In addition to the greenish yellow leaves, another distinguishing feature of the yellow mangroves is their buttressed base. Prof. Ravi told The Hindu that it is after a gap of more than 150 years that yellow mangroves have been sighted and identified in Kerala. The sighting is the first since 1850s when the British botanical explorer R. Wight (1796-1872) noted in his accounts of sighting the yellow mangrove at Quilon (former name of Kollam).

J.S. Gamble, Conservator of Forests of the Madras Presidency under the British Raj during the early 20th century, mentions in his book “Flora of the Presidency of Madras” about the yellow mangroves at Quilon, quoting Wight, though Gamble himself had not seen them here, Prof. Ravi said.

There is no record of yellow mangroves growing anywhere else in Kerala, he said.

Reserves of endangered mangroves in Kannur

KOLLAM: A mangrove survey being organised by the Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP) in the State has discovered large reserves of the critically endangered Aegiceras corniculatum species of mangroves all over the mangrove belts of Kannur district.

The survey, to prepare a database of surviving mangrove forests in the State, is being conducted on a district-wise basis. It began with Kollam district in July and Kannur was the second district covered. The survey was conducted there for three days from August 8.

Former National Institute of Oceanography director U.K. Gopalan, who led the survey, told The Hindu that one important outcome of the survey is the suspicion whether the healthy growth of mangroves in Kannur district triggers the evolution of new mangrove species in the area. Others in the team include former Kerala State Biodiversity Board chairman V.S.Vijayan, Kannur University's Environment Department director Khaleel Chowa, KSSP State convener V.R.Reghunandan, KSSP environment committee chairman T.Gangadharan and KSSP expert committee member V.K. Madhusudhanan.

Dr. Gopalan says besides over 500 hectares of undisturbed mangrove forests, Kannur is home to giant-sized mangroves from the Avicennia officianalis species. Many of the trees should be about 150 years old and some of them have a girth of over two metres. Also, the Kandelia candel species of mangrove facing extinction in other parts of the State is found in a healthy condition in Kannur.

He says that several projects are on the anvil in Kannur in total disregard for the mangrove ecosystem there. The survey team points out that the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation has acquired 184 acres of land within the mangrove belt for the Irinav power project in the Valapattanam estuary.

Source:The Hindu, 13-8-2010

Impact on mangrove landscape: panel

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In establishing a mangrove theme park on the bank of the Valapattanam river in Kannur district, the Pappinisserri Eco Tourism Society has made significant changes in the landscape, says a report of the Kerala State Coastal Zone Management Authority.

The authority submitted this report to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests on Wednesday. The report is based on a study conducted by a five-member team of experts constituted by the authority on directions from the Ministry.

The society had made “a number of interventions … including clearance of mangrove vegetation and erection of various structures, both temporary and permanent,” the report says. High- impact modifications are centred on an area of about 5,180 square metres.

The total area covered by different constructions is estimated to be about 6,580 sq. m.The report puts the damage at the specific location of the theme park in the context of large-scale disappearance of scarce and invaluable mangrove vegetation elsewhere along the State's coast from manmade alterations of the nature of the land for commercial purposes. The trend is quickening.

The report reiterates the observation of scientists deputed earlier by the Ministry that the park has violated the stipulations of the Coastal Regulation Zone notification.

“In assessing the impact of the activities undertaken in the Mangrove Theme Park, it is also important to consider the larger picture of destruction of the mangrove ecosystem in the vicinity of the park and beyond, in the district and the State …The Kannur district, accounting for about 85 per cent of the State's mangrove forests, is the last frontier of mangrove destruction. Visit to the area surrounding the Mangrove Theme Park indicates that what has happened in the theme park is the tip of the iceberg of mangrove destruction … real estate development, roads and other infrastructure, industrial development, shrimp farms and ill-conceived ecotourism initiatives are having a severe impact on the mangrove ecosystem,” the report notes.

“It was pointed out that, within three months of its operation, over 1,00,000 people visited the park, with an average daily visitor rate of over 1,000.”

Source:The Hindu, 13-8-2010

Mangrove park: report soon

KANNUR: The Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority (KCZMA) will submit its final report on the mangrove theme park at Pappinissery to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) in a week, authority Chairman C.T.S. Nair has said.

He was talking to mediapersons on Monday after a visit to the park as part of the authority's ‘assessment of damage' caused to the fragile mangrove ecosystem in the area due to the setting up of the park. The park, run by the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-backed Pappinissery Eco-Tourism Society, had been closed following an order of Central Ministry on July 19 citing violation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules.

The park, on a 4.86-hectare mangrove plot, is on the northern bank of the Valapattanam river. The order was based on the findings of a two-member team.

A seven-member team of the KCZMA had visited the park and submitted a preliminary report. The data collected by the team would be subjected to scientific study. It will be assessed whether the damage is reversible or irreversible. The final report would be submitted after examining the environmental implications of the works undertaken at the park, he said.

Large tracts of mangrove had been destroyed across the world over many years. Mangroves are vital for the protection of biodiversity. It would take five years for the natural regeneration of mangroves in a mangrove area, he said.

Source:The Hindu, 3-8-2010

Plan to grow mangroves in Kottuli wetlands

Kozhikode: The Social Forestry Department here has come up with a management action plan to plant mangrove saplings in the ecologically-precious Kottuli wetlands within the city. The proposal is to nurture fresh mangrove saplings in around two hectares of land.

K. Ummer, Deputy Conservator of Forests (Social Forestry), said the project, expected to cost around Rs.1 lakh during its first phase of implementation, had won the approval of the State government. “The process of planting saplings will begin next month,” he added.

The department is also moving ahead with steps to promote the cultivation of mangroves in private lands. As part of the initiative, applications have already been invited from individuals to benefit from a special financial aid of Rs.10,000 sanctioned by the State government. The department would select a person from the district who devoted the largest area of land for mangrove cultivation to begin with the promotion drive.

“Although the government has invited applications from individuals, many are seemingly reluctant to apply for the aid following a misconception that the process is meant to prepare A databank of mangroves and to mark out the spot for government proceedings,” said Mr. Ummer. He added that the department would not be able to consider the applications of persons who failed to apply before July 31.

Financial aid

According to officials, a proposal given by the Social Forestry Department here recommended to the government to sanction an annual financial aid of Rs.10,000 for all persons who preserved at least one hectare of mangroves in their property. The aid could also be granted for conserving the existing mangrove fields, they said.

The Social Forestry Department will select five more sacred groves from the district this year to extend special financial aid for conservation initiatives.

For the purpose, the department is planning to invite fresh applications from people who presently own and protect such ecologically important locations.

Mr. Ummer said the department extended financial support to conserve three selected sacred groves in the district. Each of these groves would be given a fund of Rs.3 lakh, he added.According to officials, they had already directed the people who maintained these groves to label each of the rare species of plants and herbs being protected. They have also been asked to seek the support of experts from the Kerala Forest Research Institute to carry out the labelling process scientifically.

The drive to conserve the sacred groves in the district started in 2009. No fewer than 45 applications had reached the Social Forestry Department seeking the benefits of the project.

Souce:The Hindu,31-7-2010

Panel visits mangrove park

KANNUR: A team of experts, constituted by the Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority, on Tuesday, visited the controversial mangrove theme park on the northern bank of the Valapattanam river to assess the damage caused by the park to the ecologically fragile mangrove plot there.

The expert committee, headed by authority member B. Madhusoodhana Kurup, reached the park in the morning a day after it was closed down. On Monday, the park was served by the district administration a copy of the order of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests that steps be taken to stop all activities at the park which, it found, was established in violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules.

The seven-member team was constituted by authority chairman C.T. Sivasankaran Nair following a directive from the Union Ministry on July 14 that the authority form a committee to assess the damage caused to the mangrove ecology in the area and submit a report by July 24. The closure of the park run by the Communist Party of India(Marxist)-controlled Pappinissery Eco-Tourism Society on Monday followed the delivery of the instruction to the authority, along with a copy of the Ministry direction to stop the functioning of the park, to the secretary of the society. The team members spoke to the office-bearers of the society inside the park. Society vice-president A.V. Ajayakumar explained the society's side in the issue.

Mr. Kurup told presspersons that the report would be submitted by July 24. The team would examine all aspects of the issue before submitting the report, he said. It would also hear representatives of political parties and environmental groups. The team members also visited a nearby place where mangrove plants were destroyed.

The park, inaugurated by film star Suresh Gopi on April 4 last, was beset by controversies as environmental activists and the Opposition UDF alleged that the park was set up in violation of the CRZ rules. The opposition to the park received an impetus after the Union Ministry ordered that the park be closed as it was established in violation of the CRZ rules.

Source:The Hindu 21 July 2010