- In 2024, the Sri Lankan government revoked the protected status of an ecologically important mangrove forest in Vidattaltivu, in the island’s north, to facilitate the development of an aquaculture park.
- Environmental groups challenged the decision in court, calling for reinstatement of its former conservation status, following which the government informed the court of its willingness to restore protection.
- On July 26 this year, to mark World Mangrove Day, Sri Lanka declared several new mangrove areas protected, reinforcing its global recognition as the Commonwealth mangrove “champion.”
- The Indian Ocean island has approximately 15,670 hectares (38,720 acres) of mangroves, with around 60% under formal protection. However, enforcement and effective management remain weak in many areas.
Mannar, SRI LANKA — The Vidattaltivu Nature Reserve, nestled along Sri Lanka’s northwestern coast in the Mannar district, is home to one of the island country’s largest and most ecologically significant mangrove ecosystems. Recognizing its immense biodiversity value, Sri Lanka’s Department of Wildlife Conservation DWC designated Vidattaltivu as a nature reserve in 2016, bestowing upon it the highest level of legal protection under Sri Lankan law.
This designation prohibited any commercial exploitation or development within the area, marking a key milestone in the country’s conservation journey.
However, the reserve came under threat from a development proposal put forward by the National Aquaculture Development Authority NAQDA, a separate government agency tasked to promote aquaculture. NAQDA’s plan to convert a section of the reserve into an aquaculture farm met with swift and firm opposition from environmental groups and conservationists. But, in a surprise turn in 2024, the agency managed to secure political support, where the then minister of environment issued a notification de-gazetting around 400 hectares (988 acres) of the protected area, effectively opening it up for development.
This controversial decision triggered a strong public response and two prominent environmental organizations: the Environmental Foundation Limited EFL and the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society WNPS took the matter before the supreme court. Their efforts bore fruit when the government, faced with mounting public and legal pressure, conveyed to the court that the cabinet has reversed the original decision, thus reinstating the area’s protected status.
Public outrage
“This response by the State is a significant win for Sri Lanka’s conservation efforts of mangrove ecosystems,” Nimshi Hirimbura, head of the legal department at EFL, told Mongabay. “But we must remain vigilant as today it’s Vidattaltivu and tomorrow it could be another protected area under threat. Our fight to safeguard Sri Lanka’s natural heritage is far from over.”
As environmentalists celebrated the victory, Sri Lanka also marked World Mangrove Day on July 26 by declaring eight previously unprotected mangrove forests in Puttalam district in the northwest as protected areas.
According to Sri Lanka’s environment minister Dammika Patabendi, around 55 hectares (136 acres) of mangrove forests are soon to be absorbed into the protected area network based on the new declaration. The minister has claimed that the government intends to restore more mangrove forests.
In 2018, Sri Lanka earned the title of ‘Commonwealth Mangrove Champion’ under the Commonwealth Blue Charter, committing to lead global efforts in mangrove conservation. However, progress on the ground has been slower than anticipated. According to a 2020 assessment by the Department of Forest Conservation, Sri Lanka has about 15,670 hectares (38,720 acres) of mangroves, primarily located along the northwestern, eastern and southern coastal belts. Yet, only a portion of this total area falls within legally protected boundaries; hence, the move to declare new protected areas signifies a positive step in the country’s ongoing effort to conserve its dwindling mangrove forests.
Eight new protected areas
However, the remainder continue to face a host of threats — from illegal encroachments and aquaculture projects to pollution and coastal development. Even in protected zones, enforcement remains a critical challenge, with lack of personnel and resources hampering effective ground-level conservation.
“To effectively protect mangroves, we need to move beyond declarations,” said Mala Amarasinghe, a senior academic from the University of Kelaniya’s botany department and a veteran mangrove researcher. “Community involvement is crucial in mangrove conservation as commitments by local communities and their knowledge can play a pivotal role in ensuring the sustainability of these ecosystems,” she told Mongabay.
Amarasinghe also emphasized the importance of scientifically grounded restoration efforts. “Mangrove restoration must be site-specific. If you plant mangroves in unsuitable areas, you could end up damaging the ecosystem rather than helping it,” she explained.
Across the world, there are 70 species of true mangroves and, out of them, 21 species are found in Sri Lanka, according to Sriyani Wickramasinghe, a professor of conservation biology in the biological science department at Rajarata University, Sri Lanka.
True mangroves are special plants that grow only in muddy, salty coastal areas and have unique features like breathing roots and the ability to live in seawater, she explained. Sri Lanka also has 18 associated mangrove species, which are other plants that grow near mangroves but can also live in drier or less salty places.
Local conservation knowledge
Most mangroves thrive in the intertidal zone, which narrows the coastal strip that is alternately submerged and exposed by the tides. However, Sri Lanka’s tidal range is relatively small and less than a meter (3.28 feet) in height, which limits the available area’s extension to less than 100 m (328 ft), preventing large-scale replanting. Amarasinghe thus highlighted the need to consider the subtidal zone, which are permanently submerged areas just below the intertidal zone, for restoration. Species like the white-flowered black mangrove (Lumnitzera racemosa), known locally as maha kodol, can adapt to such conditions and hold the potential for restoration projects, she explained.
The nonprofit Turtle Conservation Project (TCP) has been working on such restoration projects, successfully planting 3,000 hectares (7,413 acres) of mangroves in various sites. “We engage closely with the local communities, not only for planting but also for maintenance and monitoring,” said Thushan Kapurusinghe, project leader of TCP. “The local community’s traditional knowledge helps in selecting the right sites, and in return, the projects offer various alternative income sources such as seed collection, planting and gap filling,” he told Mongabay.
He said that in the face of Sri Lanka’s ongoing economic crisis, mangroves could serve a dual purpose of environmental protection and economic opportunity. Some of the restoration projects have also been linked to carbon credit schemes, which can generate income by trading verified carbon sequestration.
Carbon credit schemes
However, as Amarasinghe noted, a key challenge remains in scientifically measuring the carbon captured by different mangrove species. “Mangroves can sequester up to three to five times more carbon than other types of forests. But accurate figures are essential if we are to claim meaningful carbon credits.”
Restoration efforts are valuable, but they can never fully replace original ecosystems, which is why it’s critically important to protect natural mangrove habitats, said Sevvandi Jayakody, a professor in the aquaculture and fisheries department at Wayamba University, Sri Lanka. “We must also remember that while mangroves are excellent at storing carbon, their destruction can release large amounts of it — potentially contributing more to global warming than other trees — so we have a moral responsibility to protect them,” she told Mongabay.
Jayakody also said that, under the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Kunming targets, 30% of ecosystems should be designated as formally protected areas, offering an opportunity to prioritize mangrove conservation. Emphasizing that countries need to look beyond carbon credits and adopt a broader, national-level approach to mangrove protection.
She suggested that scientists, policy makers, government agencies as well as businesses should get together and prepare long-term plans to achieve development, while ensuring mangrove conservation.
“The 2004 Asian tsunami was a wake-up call for Sri Lanka and the region, as mangrove habitats reduced the power of the tides, and it’s time the country makes greater efforts to safeguard its remaining natural mangrove habitats,” Jayakody said.
Banner image: Replanting mangroves can yield many benefits, but it should be done cautiously. Image courtesy of the Turtle Conservation Project (TCP).
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