The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : Mangroves set to grow again

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Tuesday, Mar 31, 2009
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Mangroves set to grow again

Staff Reporter

About 20 mangrove species have either become endangered or rare
Many lives were saved during the 1999 super-cyclone, due to mangroves

BHUBANESWAR: Regional Plant Resource Centre on Monday claimed it had successfully completed trials on 10 species of mangroves on its vegetative propagation potential through stem-cutting and air-layering.

The resource centre was ready to propagate these species in wastelands along the Orissa coast so that the mangrove forest to be regenerated could act as a barrier to disasters like sea surge and tsunami.

“We have sought permission from forest department for open space in districts like Balasore, Bhadrak and Kendrapara which are potential areas for re-introduction of these species,” said U. C. Basak, RPRC scientist who was overseeing the project on preservation and propagation. As soon as wasteland along the coast was identified, RPRC would transfer techniques for vegetative propagation, Mr. Basak said.

The mangrove species on which RPRC had done the research included Aegiceras corniculatum, Aglaia cucllata, brugureira parviflora, bruguiera gymnorrhiza, cerbera manghas, excoecaria agallohcha, heritiera fomes, heritiera littoralis and thespesia populnea.

Gradual depletion of mother plants, poor flowering and seed set, post-dispersal predation of seeds and over browsing of seedlings by cattle necessitated vegetative propagation for re-establishment in the denuded and potential area, he said

Many varieties

According RPRC, mangroves in India comprise 69 species, under 42 genera and 27 families.

The mangroves and their associates are the highest in Orissa which accounted for 31 true mangrove species.

About 20 mangroves species have either become endangered or rare. Including Orissa, the mangroves in India experience various threat factors in different coastal states.

The most significant threat is growing human pressure on mangrove-resources and other natural factors also pose threat, Mr. Basak said.

The RPRC scientists said ridge mangrove forests along the coast had saved life of many people during 1999 super-cyclone in Orissa as well as 2004 tsunami.

Mr. Basak was speaking on the sidelines of workshop on Climate change, effect and their mitigation, organised by Centre of Environment Studies under State Forest and Environment department.

Experts warned increase in green house gas was leading to global warming that triggered change in climate.

The level of awareness masses about threat of climate change should be raised, they opined.

Among others director of environment Bhagirathi Behera and former chairman of State Pollution Control Board M. C Dash were present on the occasion.

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