KANNUR KANDAL PROJECT

The Kannur Kandal Project – ‘kandal’ being the Malayalam word for mangroves – aims to ensure the survival of existing mangroves and increase the acreage of such coastal wetlands across Kannur, potentially making it a prototype for other coastal districts in Kerala and the rest of the country.

^{Kannur has 7.55 sq km of mangroves, i.e. around 45% of Kerala’s total mangrove forest cover. Nearly 90% of these forests are under private ownership and are therefore highly threatened | Photo by Jayesh Padichal}

Mangrove forests are unique ecosystems, extremely rich in biodiversity, growing along inter-tidal coastal habitats such as shorelines, estuaries and backwaters. They are both refuges and nurseries for a large variety of threatened terrestrial and aquatic species, and an important source of fodder, medicines and firewood for people living in coastal communities. They also act as barriers against cyclones and tsunamis (evidenced by their important role in reducing the impact of the 2004 and 2019 Indian Ocean tsunami), prevent coastal erosion, and maintain inland water quality by preventing seawater intrusion.

Mangrove forests have faced considerable destruction the world over, with less than half of the original acreage remaining

About half of the loss of mangroves has occurred in the last 50 years, and a significant amount in just the last two decades, especially due to human population growth and intrusive development. (Data from Global Forest Watch, an online forest monitoring platform, shows that the world lost 192,000 hectares of mangroves between 2001 and 2012.)

The acreage of mangroves in Kerala has also reduced drastically over the years, with only 1750 hectares of an estimated historical 70,000 hectares remaining. Conversion into coconut plantations or other agricultural land, aquaculture, unscientific water regulation, population pressures, real estate development, inadequate enforcement of laws, etc have all contributed towards mangrove destruction.

Kannur has 7.55 sq km of mangroves, i.e. around 45% of Kerala’s total mangrove forest cover. Nearly 90% of these forests – which support at least 10 species of mangroves (including the uncommon Rhizophora apiculata), 87 species of fish, 83 species of birds and 13 species of mammals – are under private ownership and are therefore highly threatened.

Project Highlights

To ensure the survival of existing mangroves and increase the acreage of such habitats, the Kannur Kandal Project has been focusing on mangrove land purchase, ecological restoration of degraded mangrove habitats through community and government participation, outreach and awareness as well as research.

When the project began, WTI’s strategy was to purchase and secure privately owned mangrove areas to ensure their long-term protection. This private-purchase model for mangrove conservation was initiated in 2006, where, over the years, with the support from World Land Trust (WLT), Apollo Tyres, IFAW, and other independent donors, WTI has to date purchased a total of 37 acres of privately owned mangroves. The long-term plan is to secure 100 acres of such mangrove lands in Kannur district to establish a model for mangrove conservation.

With respect to education and outreach, the project to date has conducted 250 community-led conservation awareness programs that have reached out to more than 85,000 people.

The decade of 2021 to 2030 is the United Nations Decade for Ecosystem Restoration which calls for restoring ecosystems scientifically while encouraging communities to participate and derive benefit from them. Embodying this goal, in December 2022, WTI joined hands with the SBI Foundation – to increase the acreage of mangroves in the district of Kannur. By March 2026, the project plans to restore 30 acres of degraded, destroyed or damaged mangrove ecosystems in Kannur by establishing a Mother nursery and at least 5 satellite nurseries to facilitate mangrove restoration in the district.

PARTNERS: World Land Trust, SBI Foundation, Apollo Tyres, Kerala Forest Department

PROJECT LEAD: Ramith M