BHUBANESWAR: A special event on mangrove conservation was organised by the Kalinga Kusum Foundation (KKF) here on Saturday to mark the Day for the Conservation of Mangrove Ecosystem, and sensitise citizens about wetland protection and conservation.
The event with the theme ‘Protecting Wetlands for our Future’ brought together environmental experts, forestry professionals, students from OUAT, NGOs and civil society organisations to deliberate on the issues of protecting the mangrove ecosystem in Odisha, considering the role it plays in protecting coastal communities from devastating cyclones and other natural calamities.
Forest and wildlife expert including retired IFS officers Nimain Charan Mohanty, Suresh Kumar Mishra, retired DCF Mihir Pattnaik, retired ACF Siba Kumar Mohanty spoke on multiple topics including mangrove conservation, restoration and salt water crocodile conservation.
KKF trustee Sanjit Kumar Behera and KKF managing trustee Dibya Chand Shukla also spoke.
Odisha, with its 480-km coastline and rich mangrove habitats in districts like Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, and Puri remains vulnerable to rising sea levels, cyclones, and coastal erosion. The event aimed to raise awareness and foster collective action for the restoration and sustainable management of mangrove ecosystems in the State, they said.