T.N.’s mangrove cover grows to 9,039 ha in 2024, has significant carbon stock: report

Tamil Nadu's mangrove forest cover doubles to 9,039 ha by 2024, with new plantations and preservation efforts contributing significantly.

The mangrove forest cover in Tamil Nadu has almost doubled in the last few years, expanding from 4,500 ha in 2021 to 9,039 ha in 2024. The increase can be attributed to both new mangrove plantations and the preservation of existing ones across several districts, according to a report by the Centre for Climate Change and Disaster Management, Anna University.

The report, titled ‘Blue Carbon Monitoring for Mangroves of Tamil Nadu’, says Tiruvarur district has the largest mangrove area, covering 2,142 ha. This includes 1,470 ha of existing mangroves and 672 ha of newly planted ones. Thanjavur closely follows with a total of 2,063 ha, consisting of 854 ha of plantations and 1,209 ha of natural mangroves. Together, these two districts account for almost half of Tamil Nadu’s total mangrove and plantation area.

Other key districts contributing to the State’s mangrove cover include Cuddalore and Nagapattinam, with 1,117 ha and 1,021 ha, respectively. The mangrove cover in Cuddalore, Tiruvarur, and Thanjavur also have substantial carbon storage capacities, with total carbon stocks of 249 tonnes/ha, 145 tonnes/ha, and 77.5 tonnes/ha, respectively. High carbon stocks are beneficial as they absorb carbon from the atmosphere and store it in carbon pools such as soil, organic matter, or biomass.

Mangrove areas with lower density, such as those in Villupuram (2.59 tonnes/ha) and Tiruvallur (13.1 tonnes/ha), capture smaller quantities of carbon.

Mangrove forests are crucial for Tamil Nadu’s ecological stability, providing ecosystem services such as coastal protection, nutrient cycling, and serving as breeding grounds for marine life. These ecosystems also play a critical role in combating climate change by acting as carbon sinks. However, the report highlighted the presence of the highly invasive Prosopis juliflora in mangrove forests across Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, and Kattur in Tiruvallur.

According to the 2021 State of Forest Report by the Forest Survey of India, the mangrove forest cover in Tamil Nadu stood at 4,500 ha. By 2024, this has more than doubled to 9,039 ha, with new plantations making up 40.1% (3,625 ha) of the total area and existing mangrove forests comprising 59.9% (5,414 ha).

To ensure the sustainability of these efforts, the report recommends the promotion of sustainable livelihoods like eco-tourism and carbon credit programmes. Additionally, there is a focus on district-specific planning, with conservation strategies tailored to preserve and expand mangrove ecosystems.