How valuable are mangroves? Study on Pichavaram ecosystem pegs it at ₹2,485.38 crore
A new study has valued the Pichavaram mangrove ecosystem in India at ₹2,485.38 crore, highlighting its critical role in biodiversity, coastal protection, and carbon sequestration. The research underscores the economic necessity of preserving wetlands that are currently at high risk of collapse.
Why it matters
Assigning economic value to ecosystem services helps policymakers justify conservation efforts and understand the true cost of environmental degradation.
How valuable are mangroves ? A recent study of the Pichavaram mangrove ecosystem estimated its Total Economic Value (TEV) at ₹2,485.38 crore ($289 million), with a per-hectare value of ₹1.83 crore, reflecting the ecological, economic and social benefits it provides.
The Pichavaram Mangrove Forest is deemed one of the most ecologically significant coastal wetland ecosystems in India and plays a vital role in supporting biodiversity conservation, fisheries productivity, coastal protection, climate regulation, blue carbon sequestration, and livelihood security for coastal communities.
“Mangrove ecosystems provide a wide range of provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural ecosystem services that contribute significantly to ecological sustainability and human well-being. Despite their importance, many ecosystem services remain undervalued in conventional development planning because several ecological benefits are non-market in nature and are not reflected in market transactions,” says the study, ’Economic Valuation and Blue Carbon Assessment of Ecosystem Services (ESV) in the Pichavaram Mangrove Forest’.
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