20-05-2025
Mangrove belt takes root along Buckingham Canal in Chennai
For years, the Buckingham Canal along East Coast Road, like much of Tamil Nadu's ecosystem, suffered from neglect and the spread of invasive species — most notably prosopis juliflora, which had overrun its banks.
Now, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department has launched an initiative to restore a stretch of the canal by establishing a green belt of native mangrove species along its edge. 'A flourishing new mangrove forest has come up near Buckingham Canal in Kazhipattur in Chennai. Under the Green TN Mission,TN Forest Department had planted 12,500 mangrove seedlings from 5 different species last year,' wrote Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary to Departments of Environment, Climate Change, and Forests in social media platform X.
While overall mangrove cover in Tamil Nadu has increased over the past decade, as highlighted in a report by the Centre for Climate Change and Disaster Management, Anna University, coverage in Chennai and Chengalpattu has always remained comparatively low, when measured against coastal districts like Cuddalore and Thiruvarur.
To address this and recognising the role of mangroves as natural 'bioshields' in coastal zones, the Forest Department initiated restoration efforts by first removing the invasive prosopis near Navalur, behind the Hiranandani apartment complex.
V.A. Saravanan, Chennai District Forest Officer, said to ensure the right foundation for the mangroves to flourish, soil and water samples were gathered and handed over to Sathyabama University. There, scientists examined the land's pH, salinity, and texture.
A mangrove expert from Muthupet, Sankar, was also roped in. Following a site assessment, he confirmed the suitability of the area and recommended appropriate species based on the site's salinity and tidal conditions.
Since mangroves require regular exposure to saline water, 87 channels, each 3 metres wide and 1 metre deep, were dug to allow tidal flow into the plantation site. Additionally, a 'fish bone' model was implemented, consisting of seven feeder canals connected to 80 distribution canals. This system enables the controlled movement of saltwater through the site to support mangrove growth, said Mr. Saravanan.
A total of 12,500 mangrove saplings across six salt-tolerant species were planted: Rhizophora mucronata, Bruguiera cylindrica, Avicennia marina, Aegiceras corniculatum, Excoecaria agallocha, Acanthus illicifolius.
The DFO said that maintenance of the mangrove forest will continue for six more months.
