mangrove genitic resource research

FIRST INDIAN MANGROVE GENETIC RESOURCE RESEARCH CENTER BEGINS IN KOYILANDY

Ratheesh Kaliyadan
Bio diversity year celebration is rich with the establishment of Mangrove Genetic Resource Research Center (MGRRC) in Koyilandy of Kozhikode district in Kerala. Considering the importance of mangrove ecosystem as very rich and diverse terrestrial aquatic faunal communities, the municipal council decided to commence MGRRC.
Over two decades research has generated a large volume of data supporting the view that there is an important linkage between mangrove ecosystem and costal productivity. They provide an extensive habitat to fishes, crabs, prawns and mollusks. The fishery data make clear that mangrove ecosystem assists a high yield of fish and shell fish from the estuarine and costal waters. Mangrove provides a variety of goods and services for the communities that lives in its surroundings.
Besides its fisher9es potential, mangroves ecosystem acts as a biofilter to clean polluted waters, prevent floods and bank erosion, reduce the fury of waves and storms, and recharge ground water. It provides unique habitat for a wide flaura and fauna associated to them. Still for many years mangrove forests have been considered as undervalued resources. Over the last decades vast area of mangrove forests were destroyed. Kerala is having a coastline of about 590 KM and with 41 west flowing rivers create suitable environment to build up rich growth of mangrove vegetation. Once we had 700 Sq KM of mangroves along the coast and have declined it to an area of 17 SqKM today. Under these circumstances, we realized to protect the prevailing vegetation and also support efforts to spread the forest by sapling them. Media Analysis & Research Center submitted a project proposal in 2004 to Koyilandy Municipality to establish MGRRC and the council took right decision to implement it. Though some year’s delay is happened, MGRRC becomes a reality in the biodiversity year. This is the first of this kind in India dealing with the conservation of floral and faunal aspects of mangrove wetland ecosystem with participatory approach. Local community is the champions of conservation.
Anelakkadavu, the site is located about 26 KM north of historic town Kozhikode and 1.5 KM east of Koyilandy municipal bus stand and railway station. It lies 12 KM north from Kappad beach where Vascoda Gamma landed and 10 KM south from Kottakal where Kunjali Marakkar, the variant fighter against the British regime born and brought up.
MGRRC will be the pioneer venture where a local self government took initiative in protection of mangrove ecosystem with the help of an NGO Media Analysis & Research Center and also with the technical support of another NGO Malabar Natural History Society.