Mangrove Forests are found in India in 9 states and 3 union territories. The largest Delta in the world is Sundarbans delta which is spread around 10,000 square km in the costal belt of West Bengal and Bangladesh.

Sundarbans Mangrove Forest protects not only costal belt it protects surrounding lands from cyclones, floods and seasonal storms. Sundarbans has a big role to protect the metro city Kolkata, that made the significance to protect Sundarbans is most prioritized.

Mangrove Forest 10 Reasons To Preserve 

The world’s largest mangrove forest in India is Sundarbans which spreads to 40,000 sq miles coastal area in West Bengal and Bangladesh. Mangrove trees specially grows in tropical and subtropical intercoastal tidal zone.

It’s prop roots help to stand on the roots in the stilt and this tangle of the roots help to handle the daily tidal flows through it, which helps to slower the force of water.

Mangroves, seagrass beds and coral reefs work together in this ecosystem to keep healthy coastal areas to protect storm, floods and minimize the furious effect of natural destructions.

Other than that mangrove forest has a big role to prevent destructions and maintain a healthy natural environment. We find out top 10 reasons to protect mangrove forest on a priority basis for well being nature.

1. Healthy Costal Ecosystem : Mangrove forest naturally build for coastal ecosystem. It gives a natural barrier for cyclone and seasonal storm and flood.

Sturdy root system of Mangrove trees helps the protect coastline erosion through the sediment trapped by the roots which were bought by rivers and streams. 

2. Nursery For Many Species : Thousands of endangered and small species have a natural shelter of Mangrove roots territory. This wonderful spaces are natural breeding ground for many  fishes, Shrimps, crabs, snails, sea turtles and other shellfishes.

Fishes like Tarpon, Snook, Barracuda take shelter into the Mangrove roots as new born and come out into seagrass bed gradually with growing ahead and move into open ocean as grown up. 

3. Natural Shelter For Species : Mangrove forest is a natural home for many microscopic species to Royale Bengal Tigers and other animals like Crocodile, Alligator, Giant Monitor Lizard, Crab eating Macaque Monkeys. 

Other endangered species like olive Ridley turtle, Tree  Climbing fish, Proboscis Monkey. 

4. Nesting For Shore Birds : Many shore birds and migratory birds are nesting in the dense branches of the Mangrove forest such as King fisher, Herons and Egrets and other endangered bird species like white breasted sea Eagle.

5. Protect Soil From Erosion : Mangrove root structure are strongly hold the soil and prevent soil erosion from the land. Slit and sediments that brought by the tide, river’s water flows blows out that to the sea. Mangrove trees trap sediments and pollutants trough their strong roots.

6. Stable Coast Line : Mangrove roots holding the ground strongly to prevent the soil erosion for the stable coast line. Seeding help stabilizing the sand bar which turns after a long time continuous process into an island.

The system spreading Mangrove belt after years to strongly stabilize the coast line naturally.

7. Clean Water : Mangrove forest prevent mixing the both salt water from sea and normal water from rivers. Thus protect the both water ecosystem in the coastal areas.

Mangrove roots filtered nitrate and phosphate from the river and prevent to mix it in to sea. This way it works as a great barrier between lands, rivers and sea.

8. Clear Air Pollution : Mangrove forests works as the carbon sinks. They absorb carbon dioxide from the air that help to increase of Oxygen in the air. That way mangrove forest prevent air pollution which global warming factors most.

The dead Mangrove roots and branches remain submerged which slow down decompose and breakdown the material that help to boosting the carbon storage. Research shows Mangrove are more carbon absorbent than other tropical rain forest. They absorb carbons and release huge oxygen to the air.

9. Protect From Cyclone : Mangrove dense forests and roots hold strongly with the lands. Cyclones like Amphan in 2020, Yash in 2020 and Bulbul 2019 also cannot uprooted the Mangroves in Sundarbans even due to Mangrove forests worked hard to slower the intensity of the cyclones.

Mangrove protect lands from seasonal storms and floods which is natural phenomena every year. Tidal mud flats are significant buffer zone that saves the surrounding areas from sea wave and floods. The areas where shrimp farms are made with destroy the forest are far vulnerable for storms.

10. Resources For Human : Costal people depends on Mangrove forest for their livelihood and survival. Mangroves are resources of fuel, medicine, tannins and woods that help to make boats and houses. Sundarbans mangrove forest famous for natural sources of honey.

People collects hive from jungle to get honey from it. At low tide, the big flat land turning to be a fishing ground for the villagers and they collect crabs, shrimps and fishes from the muddy lands. When it is high tide the lands disappeared and sea water covered the muddy land and fishes are finding shelters between the mangrove roots.

Sundarbans Delta is the largest in the world. It is also shelter of large population of Royale Bengal Tigers and other wild life. It’s unique biodiversity support costal ecosystem and climatically vulnerable region with the population of 4.5 million.

It requires a futuristic long term vision to securing the Mangrove forest of Sundarbans. Climate adaptation and conservation strategies should be taken with ensuring sustainable livelihood that claims clean air, energy with human and wildlife conflict management.

To preserve Mangrove Forest world wide, 26th July celebrated as International Mangrove Day. Every year an initiative for plantation of Mangrove trees will be taken world wide for spreading awareness.

Frequently Asked Questions And Answers

Ques 1. Which is the largest mangrove forest in India ?

Ans 1. Sundarbans is the largest delta and mangrove forest in the world. It is declared as World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It covers total areas of 10,000 sq km and located in India and Bangladesh border.

Ques 2. What is the Mangrove forest famous for ?

Ans 2. Mangrove forest famous for it’s unique bio diversity that protect lands from erosion and many endangered species from extinct. It works as carbon sinks to increase oxygen in the air, thus protect pollution. The strong roots hold the land to minimize from severe cyclone destruction.

Ques 3. What are Mangrove forest in India ?

Ans 3. There are many other mangrove forest also found in India. Some of these are Sundarbans, Mahanadi, Krishna-Godavari, Ratnagiri, Goa, Kaveri deltaic mangrove are famous.

Ques 4. What is the 1st Mangrove ecosystem in India ?

Ans 4. Sundarbans Delta is the 1st ecosystem in India.

Ques 5. What is called Mangrove ?

Ans 5. Mangrove forest are productive wetland trees that found in coastal intertidal zone. It’s unique strong roots protect the coastal areas as a barrier to enter the salted water of sea in to local areas.