THOOTHUKUDI: The Thoothukudi forest department has restored 285.19 acres (115.46 hectares) of mangrove ecosystem under the Tamil Nadu Shore Protection and Conservation Scheme, which began in 2022-23, along the district’s coastal areas over the past three years.
Thoothukudi has over 700 hectares of mangrove forests. Avicennia marina and Rhizophora mucronata are the two varieties predominantly found in the district’s coastal areas and estuaries, with large patches at Palayakayal, Punnakayal, and Mukkani, located at the estuaries of the Thamirabarani River.
While Rhizophora mucronata is widely found in Punnakayal due to low salinity, Avicennia marina is found in Palayakayal.
Mangroves are of critical ecological and socio-economic importance, particularly along river mouths, estuaries, and coastal stretches, as they function as natural buffers against coastal erosion, storm surges, tidal inundation, and saline intrusion.
The mangrove ecosystems support rich marine and estuarine biodiversity and serve as vital nursery and breeding grounds for fish, prawns, and other aquatic organisms, contributing significantly to local fisheries. However, mangrove areas have been declining due to man-made settlements, industrial projects, the expansion of salt pans, and the spread of Seemai Karuvelam trees along the shores in Thoothukudi.
The forest department has formed village mangrove councils to encourage public participation in planting and conservation efforts at Ratchaniapuram and Mukkani.
Speaking to TNIE, District Forest Officer (DFO) Ilayaraja said Prosopis juliflora poses a major challenge to mangroves in Palayakayal. New mangrove plantations have been created by replacing Seemai Karuvelam trees along the Palayakayal shores over an extent of 35.8 acres (14.51 hectares), and more than 53.76 acres (21.765 hectares) of degraded mangrove area has been restored during the 2025–26 fiscal so far, he said.
Explaining the restoration process, Ilayaraja said water channels using the fishbone design method are dug to ensure brackish water reaches the land during high tide and recedes during low tide. This action deposits silts in the channels, enriching the growth of mangrove seedlings, though it takes at least 15–20 years for the ecosystem to fully develop.
The department is also mapping areas encroached by the Seemai Karuvelam. “Over 100 hectares along the Palayakayal and Thoothukudi shores have been identified for restoration of mangrove forests by replacing seemai karuvelam trees under the Tamil Nadu Shore Protection and Conservation Scheme,” he said.