Sharing Lessons in Mangrove Restoration

MFF countries get practical about mangrove restoration and conservation in regional confab

Location: Mamallapuram, Chennai, India. 30th Aug 2012

"No mangrove, no crab" will strike a familiar chord with mangrove enthusiasts everywhere not only because it sounds like a Bob Marley ditty, but because it alludes to a popular economic benefit of mangrove ecosystems. Professor K Kathiresan of Annamalai University played this up very well. Kathiresan, one of the many mangrove experts attending the first MFF Regional Colloquium on Mangrove Restoration, used the line in his talk at the opening session to cleverly emphasize how important mangroves are for community livelihoods and food security. He spoke about other benefits from mangrove ecosystems (particularly in the Sundarbans), and joins international and national mangrove researchers and conservationists attending the two-day MFF regional event.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, represented by Dr JR Bhatt, hosts the Colloquium on August 30-31. Representatives from IUCN, GIZ, and government agencies from across the MFF region are present in the event. The Colloquium will discuss the economic and environmental values of mangroves; lessons learned from mangrove rehabilitation projects; guidelines for good practices; and relevance to climate change. As a way forward, participants will endorse a "Call to Action" statement based on the recommendations from the meeting. The Call to Action will be MFF's contribution to the Convention of Biological Diversity COP XI in Hyderabad, India on October 2012.

Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Viet Nam participated in the Colloquium. International mangrove scientist Dr Norman Duke (James CooK University, Australia) and Executive Director of Mangrove Action Project (MAP USA) Alfredo Quarto are also present at the event.

A field trip to the Pichavaram mangroves, site of one of MFF's small grant facility projects, will follow on September 1-2. 

Dr JR Bhatt stress importance of this meeting for CBD

Dr JR Bhatt stress importance of this meeting for CBD, Mamallapuram, near Chennai, India © IUCN/SriaramSiriporn, 2012

Related Images