A book on the importance of the mangrove ecosystem authored by scientists from the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) was released by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Friday.
The pictorial book titled Biodiversity and Importance of Mangrove Ecosystem contains descriptions of mangrove species across India, medicinal uses of mangroves, and several wildlife creatures that thrive in the ecosystem.
Launching the book at the mangrove plantation drive in Kovalam, the Minister stressed on the need to make such resources accessible in Indian languages for the ordinary person. “Unless the local community has an economic stake in the local ecology, conservation will not be sustainable. Mangroves ecosystems are complex and provide many opportunities for livelihoods, apart from protecting coastal communities and sequestering carbon,” said Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson, MSSRF.
The book, R. Ramasubramanian, Senior Fellow, Coastal Systems Research, MSSRF, said is intended to create awareness among the schoolchildren so that they may have a better understanding of the mangrove ecosystem. It is available in English, Tamil, and Telugu and can be downloaded from the MSSRF website (www.mssrf.org).
(Photo mailed to desk)
