How Gujarat’s villagers turned mangroves into a natural coastal shield
Gujarat has significantly increased its mangrove cover since the 1980s through a combination of government initiatives and community-led conservation. These ecosystems now serve as a vital natural shield against coastal erosion and storm surges.
Why it matters
Mangrove restoration is a critical strategy for climate change adaptation and protecting vulnerable coastal populations from extreme weather events.
In the 1980s, when much of Gujarat’s coastline was losing its mangrove cover, some coastal communities began protecting the few patches that remained. What looked like a small act of conservation would eventually become part of one of India’s most striking mangrove recoveries.Government data shows just how dramatic that transformation has been.According to the Forest Survey of India (FSI), Gujarat had around 427 sq km of mangrove cover in 1987. By 1999, that figure had more than doubled to 1,031 sq km. It reached 1,164.06 sq km in 2023, making Gujarat home to nearly one-quarter of India's mangrove cover.
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