THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In an effort to revive one of Keralam's biologically rich backwaters, a total of 20,000 mangrove saplings will be planted along the banks of Paravur Lake.
Starting from October 1, the initiative is being carried out by a Technopark-based IT company Tryzens India Private Ltd, in association with Help Foundation and Mayyanad panchayat. The efforts come more than a decade after an earlier mangrove afforestation drive failed to take root in the wetland.
The initiative comes amid growing concerns over the ecological degradation of Paravur Lake, where silt accumulation, declining water depth and shoreline erosion have threatened aquatic life and the wetland's long-term survival.
Around 20,000 mangrove saplings have been raised in a dedicated nursery over the past six months by Help Foundation, an NGO specialised in wetland conservation. Peter Pradeep, chairman and director of the foundation, said that there is huge effort involved in raising the mangrove saplings.
“The process begins with collecting naturally fallen mangrove seeds from Vembanad and Ashtamudi lakes. The seeds are very carefully transported to Kollam, planted in lake clay and nurtured in shallow water beds until they reach a height of around two to two-and-a-half-feet,” said Peter.
The foundation has also trained around 150 to 160 MGNREGA workers from eight wards of Mayyanad panchayat. Around 2,000 saplings are to be distributed to each ward, with local workers and residents expected to take responsibility for planting and subsequent care.
“The community will plant them and take care of them. Community participation is very important because of the high mortality rate of mangroves. Without sustained care they will not survive and all the efforts will go in vain,” he added.
He said that three to five years will be crucial to ensure that the mangroves establish themselves and survive. “We will be establishing a monitoring and patrolling network. The saplings will be regularly inspected and destroyed ones will be replaced with saplings of the same size,” he said.
A senior official with the Mayyanad panchayat said that the mangrove afforestation programme is expected to help improve the lake's ability to support fish breeding and improve its ecological health. “The loss of water depth has affected the lake's ability to support fish breeding and other aquatic life. Mangrove forests serve as breeding and nursery grounds for fish, providing sheltered waters for eggs and juvenile fish,” the official said.
