More than two decades after a devastating cyclone claimed nearly 10,000 lives in Odisha, women living along the Devi River estuary in Puri district are leading a remarkable environmental movement to protect their coastline. By planting around 45,000 mangrove saplings, they are rebuilding one of nature’s strongest defenses against cyclones while restoring fragile ecosystems and strengthening local livelihoods.
The initiative, led by marine turtle and mangrove conservationist Soumya Ranjan Biswal, has transformed what began as a small community effort into a growing movement involving more than 60 families from nearby villages. Together, they are restoring mangrove forests that once protected Odisha’s coast from powerful storms and tidal surges.
Every low tide brings a familiar routine. Women walk across muddy riverbanks carrying mangrove propagules and carefully plant them in selected patches of land. The work is timed with the tides to give the young saplings the best chance of survival.
Among the volunteers is Nalini Kandi from Sana Jhadling village. Like many families in the area, she once depended on the river for fish, crabs, shrimp, and firewood. Her perspective changed after meeting a group of volunteers planting mangroves along the riverbank.
Initially, she did not understand why trees were being planted in muddy, waterlogged land. Over time, she learned that mangroves are vital for protecting coastal communities from cyclones, preventing erosion, and supporting marine life. Today, she is one of the many women actively restoring these ecosystems.
The project combines traditional knowledge with scientific methods. Women collect mangrove seeds during low tide, identify suitable planting locations, and raise seedlings before transplanting them into the estuary. Species are carefully selected according to soil conditions and salinity levels, ensuring that native mangroves thrive naturally instead of relying on single species plantations.
Biswal says the women possess valuable indigenous knowledge about which seeds grow best in different soils, making them central to the project’s success. By combining local experience with ecological science, the initiative has achieved survival rates of around 80 to 90 percent for planted saplings.
Approximately 45,000 mangrove trees have been planted across the Devi estuary and surrounding wetlands. The restoration is already producing visible ecological benefits. Crabs, fish, and wetland birds are returning to restored habitats, while the dense mangrove roots are stabilising sediments, reducing wave energy, and creating breeding grounds for aquatic species.
Mangrove forests are among the planet’s richest ecosystems, second only to coral reefs in terms of biodiversity. In India, they support thousands of species, including dolphins, sea turtles, fishing cats, otters, crocodiles, and countless fish and bird species. They also act as natural barriers that absorb storm surges, reducing the impact of cyclones on coastal villages.
To encourage long term participation, women involved in the project receive about ₹6,000 a month for working a few days each week. Although the programme currently relies on support from individual donors rather than government funding, Biswal believes paying local communities creates a sense of ownership and responsibility for protecting the forests.
The initiative has also brought significant social change. Women who were once largely confined to household responsibilities now help manage nurseries, plan restoration activities, and participate in community decisions about natural resource management. Many have become local environmental leaders despite initial hesitation and social barriers.
Families that once collected firewood from mangrove forests have largely stopped doing so. Instead, they are helping protect and expand these coastal ecosystems, recognising their importance for future generations.
Looking ahead, Biswal hopes to transform the local project into a much larger conservation movement. His ambitious goal is to plant one million mangroves by 2030 through greater community participation and support from local youth, researchers, and conservation groups.
For the people living along Odisha coast, the restoration effort represents more than environmental conservation. It is a long term strategy for climate resilience. Every new mangrove planted strengthens a natural barrier against cyclones, restores biodiversity, supports fisheries, and offers hope that communities can better withstand the increasingly severe storms driven by climate change.
What started with a handful of women planting saplings in knee deep mud has grown into a powerful example of how local communities, especially women, can lead nature based solutions to protect both people and the environment.