Conservation of mangrove forest along the coastal patches of the Indian State of Odisha is the crying need of the hour keeping in view the susceptibility of the region to recurring cyclones and battering of tidal waves into the places of human habitations.
The forest officials and environmental activists, while speaking at a function at the Bhitarkanika National Park (BNP) on the occasion of the observance of International Mangrove Day, called for increased awareness on the conservation of the tidal forest for the safety of life and property in the seaside areas.
“The Cyclone Yaas had barreled through coastal Odisha triggering damage of varying degree in coastal parts on 24 May last. But it had spared Bhitarkanika National Park (BNP) and adjoining hamlets in Kendrapara district as lush-green luxuriant mangrove cover acted as a protective barrier to Nature’s fury”, said Pradipta Kumar Swain, a forest official of the park, while speaking at the function held at Jagatjore village.
The mangrove forests had successfully withstood the wind velocity of the cyclone. The region has witnessed seven major cyclones in the past two decades including Cyclone Yaas. Each time, the cyclonic fury has not impacted the national park and the nearby human habitations, the participants remarked.
The villages on the close periphery of the national park were saved as the mangrove cover acted as a buffer zone in protecting the human settlements. Because of the thick density of mangrove forest in Bhitarkanika, the flora and fauna of the park were unharmed due to the cyclone, he added.
People in these parts have also realized the immense utility value of mangrove forests and are lending a helping hand to the forest department in the conservation of this tidal woodland. Mangrove forests with their intricate root system stabilize the coastline, reducing erosion from storm surges, currents, waves, and tides, they added.
The National Park is endowed with rich varieties of mangrove species and it stands next only to Papua New Guinea in the world in terms of the varied nature of the vegetation. Bhitarkanika’s mangrove vegetation is the second largest in the country after the Sundarbans in West Bengal. As many as 60 varieties of mangrove and associate species are found in the Bhitarkanika national park in Kendrapara district.
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