About Us
Mangrove forests are among the world's most economically valuable ecosystems in terms of providing multiple ecosystem services, including biodiversity, carbon sequestration, anchoring coastal ecosystems, climate regulation. Mangrove forests are highly inter-connected within the ecosystem itself, but they also make up a transitional zone between land and ocean, connecting and supporting both. It is no surprise that mangroves are called “roots of the sea.” Mangroves are among the most threatened ecosystems due to pressures from increasing populations and their need for food, construction materials, medicines and other traditional uses, unsustainable use and destructive land-use and fishing practices.
Large tracts of mangroves are being converted for industrial development, tourism infrastructure, aquaculture and the subsequent market and regulatory failures have contributed to their decline. The ecological, environmental and socio-economic importance of mangrove forests are now widely accepted by international agencies, governments, NGOs, scientists and tropical coastal communities alike. It is appreciated that mangrove ecosystems provide a unique and valuable range of resources and services, making them far more valuable than the sum of the products they generate. Mangroves provide a wide variety of benefits for local people and support habitat biodiversity. Many mangrove habitats are heavily exploited by anthropogenic activities and therefore no longer exist in large quantities in many localities. Immediate conservation and management actions are essential in order to preserve this vital ecosystem. Unsustainable use and destructive land-use and fishing practices.
The uses of mangroves falls into two categories, firstly the use of the mangrove ecosystem as a whole or its conversion to other uses, and secondly, the use of products from the mangrove ecosystem. Re-plantation of mangroves in degraded areas is an alternative erosion control method, which is relatively inexpensive and proven to be effective on shorelines. They trap sediments and thus contribute to land building and prevent excessive shifting of coastline sand. A relatively recent commercial use is recreation and eco-tourism. Mangroves have been exploited for timber for building dwellings and boats and fuel-wood for cooking and heating. Rhizophora and, to a lesser extent, Avicennia woods have a high calorific value and are excellent fuels. In Sri Lanka, Cerebera manghas is used in making masks for many traditional cultural activities. Pulp for paper, matchsticks, household utensils, agricultural implements and toys are some other products produced from mangroves.
On the west coast of Sri Lanka twigs and branches, mainly of Rhizophora mucronata, R. apiculata and Lumnitzera racemosa, are used to form "brush piles" or "brush parks" in a specially devised fishing method. The gathering of mangrove leaves for animal fodder remains widespread in Sri Lanka. An alternative source of wealth in the mangroves is the exploitation of the fish, molluscs and crustaceans that abound in the mangrove areas. The exploitation and value of aquatic products from mangrove ecosystems is of great significance today. Use of mangroves as natural sewage-treatment plants has been considered. Mangroves trap sediments and so contribute to land building, preventing erosion and excessive shifting of coastlines.
Number of Plants & Areas Restored
Puttalam District Plants / Area
2,097,199 / 466.0441 ha
Batticaloa District Plants / Area
644,278 / 143.1728 ha
Mullaitivu District Plants / Area
5,415,042 / 1203.3427 ha
Ampara District Plants / Area
755,960 / 167.991 ha
Trincomalee District Plants / Area
3,757,379 / 834.9728 ha