: How a Debt-Ridden Fisherman on His Canoe Increased Kerala’s Mangrove Cover in 40 Years #IndiaNEWS #Conservation Before the dawn breaks, Rajan takes his small fishing canoe out and wades his way

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Posted in: #IndiaNEWS #Conservation

How a Debt-Ridden Fisherman on His Canoe Increased Kerala’s Mangrove Cover in 40 Years #IndiaNEWS #Conservation
Before the dawn breaks, Rajan takes his small fishing canoe out and wades his way through the Pazhayangadi River for his daily catch. While at it, he always takes some time out to attend to the beloved mangroves that he had planted and conserved for the past several decades.
Hailing from Thavam near Pazhayangadi in the Kannur district of Kerala, Rajan’s life mission has been to save and restore the mangroves by growing, conserving and propagating them for over the past 40 years. Hence the nickname, Kandal (mangrove) Rajan.
“Being a fisherman I know the importance of these green ecosystems and have witnessed their degradation over the past several years. These mangroves are also the breeding ground for fishes and several other marine and non-marine species. I have seen around 22 species of mangroves in these regions, but now most of them have disappeared mainly due to human intervention. They are being extensively cut down for shrimp or paddy cultivation. So, the least I can do is to plant more of them,� Rajan tells The Better India.
Rajan’s silent activism on conserving the dwindling mangrove cover began when he was a child. “I have been planting mangroves since my childhood and it is saddening to see their destruction right in front of my eyes. So, I keep planting them as much as I can,� says the 58-year-old, adding that he never kept a record on how many mangrove plants he had planted till now.
Besides, he also maintains a mangrove nursery where he nurtures around 5,000 saplings of various varieties and even supplies them to people who want to plant them.
A ‘green’ life mission
Kandal Rajan
Mangroves being an essential ecosystem are considered one of the key weapons in the fight against climate change. In Kerala, these evergreen groves are found on the coastal wetlands of Malabar (North Kerala), especially in Kannur and Kasaragod districts.
“Relatively a smaller area, Kerala had around 700 sq km of mangrove trees which has now narrowed down to just 21 sq km today. Earlier, only half of it was government-owned and the remaining belonged to private investors. But now the mangrove population is dwindling in the state as more than half of it is under private ownership, making it difficult for conservation,� says Vinod Kumar DK, Chief Conservator of Forests (northern circle), Kannur.
Knowing all these facts, Rajan never gave up on his mission. He says, “I know that I can’t put a stop to the destruction, but I make sure that more of them are being planted. So, I go around looking for suitable spots across the region to plant the seeds or saplings. �
While fishing is his profession, searching for mangrove seeds and saplings around the marshy patches have become his favourite hobby.

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