While it is only environmentalists who usually attend biodiversity conferences, the National Conclave on Mangrove Conservation conducted on Monday at Bolgatty Palace, Kochi, stood out, with representatives of prominent business companies and policymakers also engaging in discussions on how to contribute to mangrove conservation.
M.S. Jayaraman, Chief Conservator of Forests (Social Forestry) of the Kerala Forest Department, inaugurated the programme. The event, organised by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) in partnership with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Apollo Tyres, was conducted as part of the long-term mangrove conservation project initiated by WTI in Kannur district last year, and aimed to create a platform for policymakers, academia and business personnel to talk about the significance of mangrove conservation and to channelise positive action towards this.
During the event, organisers unveiled the mascot for their mangrove conservation programme named ‘Mangal’, the mangrove tree, which incidentally, is the Malayalam name for mangrove trees. The day-long programme involved discussions among panelists on the role of mangroves in biodiversity conservation and how to translate biodiversity conservation into action. It also examined the role of businesses in biodiversity conservation, where questions were asked to Corporate Social Responsibility personnel of companies, including Tata Chemicals Limited, on how to sell the concept of biodiversity and the importance of environmental protection as they see it.
Vivek Menon, CEO of WTI, and mangrove scientist Prof K. Kathiresan, Director, Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Annamalai University, also addressed the gathering.
Mangroves, one of the most productive ecosystems in the world, support a large variety of organisms and also protect the coast from calamities like storms, floods and tsunamis. Studies show that more than 50 per cent of the world’s mangroves are already under immense threat.
