They act as a buffer between sea and land, keeping the city cooler, and safe from nature's fury. And we are set to lose 54,000 of them. Ecologists tell you where to take a tour of mangroves before they disappear
The shoreline of Mumbai is dotted with areas where an inland stream or the Mithi river meets the sea. And unlike the sandy stretch of the beach, this tête-à-tête between freshwater and seawater gives rise to a unique wetland ecosystem, of which mangroves are a vital part. The city has steadily lost its mangrove cover over the decades. Earlier this week, it became clear that Maharashtra is set to lose over 13.36 hectares of the cover, with a minimum of 54,000 mangrove trees to be axed for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project.
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As a consolation, it was announced that for every tree cut, five more will be planted. That summarises our disconnect from nature. “All we need to do is leave them alone,” believes Stalin D, conservationist and director of Vanashakti, an NGO whose thrust areas include landscape conservation, environmental education, scientific investigation and sustainable livelihoods.
What makes these stretches of tropical trees that act as a buffer between the sea and land critical to a coastal city like Mumbai? “The wetland ecosystem is among the most efficient ones on earth. Mangroves are nurseries for marine life. Crabs and other invertebrates feed on their decaying leaves, while the big fish use the areas where mangroves thrive to lay eggs,” explains Stalin.
Anish Andheria
But man needs more utilitarian value for something that ought to be preserved — and mangroves offer plenty of that. To start with, they act as shock absorbers. “Because they stand as sentries on our shoreline, they mitigate the impact of a cyclone or hurricane that hits a coastal city,” says Dr Anish Andheria, president of the Wildlife Conservation Trust. “They act as natural filters by absorbing heavy metals. Their carbon dioxide absorption capacity is five times higher than a regular tree,” adds Stalin.
This, however, hasn’t proved to be good enough. And mangroves have consistently been the collateral damage for the city’s real estate needs. “We don’t have many species of mangroves left in the city,” laments Dr Andheria.
Stalin D
Among the areas where you can still explore this unique ecosystem in Mumbai are Sewri, either sides of the Bandra-Sion Link Road, the patch behind Lokhandwala, and Versova in Andheri, pockets of Bangur Nagar in Malad and the creek area around the Nagla block of Sanjay Gandhi National Park. “The best mangrove patch with the highest number of species is the Vikhroli-Bhandup-Airoli stretch, which is owned by the Godrej group,” he adds.
Now nestled amidst the very city that developed around them, meet your sentries in person.
How you can help
"Keep an eye out for encroachment, form a focus group and raise your voice while it’s underway, not after all is lost. A collective voice is crucial to dissuade land grabbers. Individuals can’t fights these battles," suggests Dr Andheria. Stalin says, "Citizens must press for the inclusion of scientists in the planning stage of projects."
Call: 67961097 (to sign up for a walk in the mangroves around the Godrej compound in Pirojshanagar, Vikhroli)
Log on to: vanashakti.in
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