CHENNAI — Tamil Nadu has launched one of India’s most ambitious mangrove restoration programs, fundamentally shifting its conservation strategy by placing local coastal communities at the forefront of execution and decision-making. This extensive initiative is backed by ₹1,675 crore in World Bank funding under the TN-Strengthening Coastal Resilience and the Economy (TN-SHORE) project.
In a significant procedural change, funds earmarked for mangrove plantation, restoration, and bioshields will now flow directly into the accounts of newly constituted Village Mangrove Councils (VMCs). Currently, 34 VMCs have been established across 10 districts, with the state continuing to register more councils to manage local projects.
Each VMC oversees procurement, planning, and monitoring through specialized committees, all supervised by forest officials to meet stringent World Bank norms for transparency and accountability.
Srinivas R Reddy, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, emphasized the rationale behind this approach, stating, “Communities know the rhythm of tides, the inflows and outflows, and the subtle variations that decide whether a plantation survives or fails. That knowledge is irreplaceable.” This generational wisdom is crucial for the labour-intensive work of collecting seeds, raising seedlings in tidal nurseries, and maintaining plantations in waterlogged, saline soils.
The TN-SHORE programme has set a five-year target of 1,000 hectares of mangrove intervention, comprising 300 hectares of new plantations and 700 hectares of restored degraded mangroves. For the current fiscal year (2025-26), the World Bank has already cleared ₹38 crore specifically for this work.
Restoration sites, identified through mapping by the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (\text{NCSCM}) on abandoned aquaculture ponds and disused salt pans, must be ecologically suitable. Officials stressed that planting cannot occur “just anywhere,” as proper tidal influx is critical for survival and preventing investment from being wasted.
While Tamil Nadu’s mangrove cover currently 41.91{ sq km} remains modest compared to the Sundarbans, its successful community-based models in Pichavaram and Muthupet are globally recognized. This year, six lakh seedlings are being prepared for planting in Cuddalore and Thoothukudi alone, with officials planning to revise allocations upward as more potential areas are confirmed.