CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu forest department has pioneered a tidal nursery system that has been showing promising results for mangrove restoration.
Developed by forest range officer B Iqbal in Cuddalore and implemented in the district’s Pichavaram, the innovation is already improving the survival and resilience of mangrove saplings in the region, one of the country’s most important coastal ecosystems. The Pichavaram forest is one of the largest mangrove ecosystems in India and is home to diverse flora and fauna.
Traditionally, mangrove nurseries raise seedlings in polybags under controlled conditions, with a two to three-month freshwater treatment before field planting. However, these seedlings often struggle to adapt once exposed to tidal waters, salinity fluctuations, and strong winds, leading to high mortality.
Iqbal’s method takes a different approach. Saplings are secured with wooden sticks and kept in tidal waters for six to eight months, where they gradually get acclimatised to natural coastal conditions such as variable salinity, tidal rhythms, and temperature changes.
“The nursery mimics real field conditions. Seedlings harden naturally and are better prepared to withstand environmental stresses once transplanted,” Iqbal said during a field visit to Killai, Tamil Nadu’s first Climate Resilient Village.
The results are overwhelming, as the seedlings exposed to winds and tides develop thicker stems, stronger root systems, and shift from tender growth to a hardier form. “This reduces the need for extended protection and ensures much higher survival rates,” said A Periaswamy, Chief Conservator of Forests.
The programme, launched in 2023-24, now supplies hardened seedlings year-round. Last year, four lakh seedlings were planted, and another three lakh — raised under the tidal nursery system — are ready for transplantation during the northeast monsoon. Out of the 12 true mangrove species recorded in Pichavaram, four key species — Avicenia marina, Avicenia officinalis, Rhizophora mucronata, and Rhizophora apiculata — are being nurtured.
Equally significant is the strong community role. Tribal members of the Kalaignar Nagar Village Mangrove Council actively participate in seed collection and nursery operations, working alongside frontline staff, including forester M Rajesh Kumar and forest guard J Sarala, who oversee the protection and grooming of the seedlings.
According to environment and forest secretary Supriya Sahu, the low-cost, eco-friendly system is replicable across India’s coasts.
“With climate change and coastal erosion posing mounting threats, strengthening mangrove belts is a crucial defense line,” she said.