Thiruvananthapuram, May 23 (PTI) Apollo Tyres andWildlife Trust of India have entered into a partnership torestore a critical mangrove project in Kerala’s Kannurdistrict.
Apollo Tyres and Wildlife Trust of India announced thepartnership to coincide with the International Day forBiodiversity yesterday.
The Kannur Kandal project (mangrove conservation) aimsat ensuring survival of existing mangroves and increaseacreage of such habitats across Kannur, potentially making ita prototype for other coastal districts of Kerala and a modelfor the rest of the country, a release from the tyre majorsaid.
The actual site for Apollo Tyres-WTI’s project will bein Kunhimangalam village in Kannur district, which is one ofthe largest mangrove villages of Kerala.
The project will establish a hub, located in thenatural ecosystem, for mangrove-based education, serving as anopen air laboratory for research and promoting restorationthrough community and government participation.
A mangrove nursery and community-based initiatives toenhance public awareness and reduce threats to mangroves areother aspects of the project. Particular efforts will be madeto generate scientific interest about mangroves among theyouth, the release said.
Mangrove area in Kerala has reduced drastically overthe years, with only 1,750 hectares of an estimated historical70,000 hectares remaining.
Conversion into coconut plantations or otheragricultural land, aquaculture, unscientific water regulation,population pressures, real estate development, inadequateenforcement of laws etc have all contributed towards mangrovedestruction.
Land secured with the support of World Land Trust, aninternational NGO, will serve as the nodal site for allconservation activities conducted by WTI and Apollo under thisproject.
On the commencement of the mangrove conservationproject, Satish Sharma, President, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (APMEA region), Apollo Tyres Ltd said, “Biodiversityconservation is an important thrust area within ourEnvironmental Sustainability initiative Habitat Apollo.””The abuse and decline of mangrove forests should beof particular concern to all of us, primarily for the loss oftheir marvellous biodiversity, but also for their value as anatural buffer against climate change and its attendantadverse effects,” said Vivek Menon, WTI’s Executive Directorand CEO. PTI UD BN AMSKK