Port Blair, Apr 14: The Department of Environment and Forest, Middle Andaman conducted a Capacity Building Programme for the frontline executive staff of the Middle Andaman division on the topic of Zonation, Identification and Vegetation Sampling of the Mangroves in the conference hall of the DFO MiddleAndaman, Rangat on 13th April 2022.
Mr. Anup Singh, Researcher, WII was the resource person who made a PowerPoint presentation on the topic, which was later followed by a practical session at the Dhaninallah Mangrove Benchwalk.
Altogether 20 executive staff along with Mr. Satyaprakash Singh, IFS, DFO, Middle Andaman, ACF (HQ) and ACF (MA) participated in the programme.
The training targeted the front-line staff of the department and comes into the light of the important aspects involved in managing the mangrove ecosystems. This programme was aimed to identify the strengths and weaknesses and fulfill the capacity needs, gaps, and build on strengths and opportunities. The capacity building was aimed at creating a regional network of researchers, managers and practitioners for effective mangrove management.
Mangroves are highly productive, biodiversity-rich, inter-tidal forest ecosystems adapted to survive in the harsh interface between land and sea. Mangrove plants are mostly trees and large shrubs, but also include ferns and a palm species. Altogether there are a total of 46 species of mangroves found in India out of which Thirty-eight of these species are found in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The mangroves perform a variety of useful ecological, biophysical, and socio-economic functions, and are the source of a multitude of benefits to coastal populations.
The capacity of mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is becoming increasingly at an international level. Of all the biological carbon, also termed green carbon, captured in the world, over half (55%) is captured by mangroves, seagrasses, salt marshes, and other marine living organisms, which are also known more specifically as blue carbon.
They also serve as an important breeding ground for various marine life and fishes.
Restoring mangroves means regaining extremely productive ecosystems that provide breeding and nursery grounds and ideal habitats for a variety of plant and animal species. For example, India’s mangroves are home to 4,011 species (the highest in the world), many of which are edible fish and shellfish – providing sufficient and nutritious food directly to local communities. Poor and vulnerable populations can especially benefit from these readily available sources.
