The Tamil Nadu government launched the ‘Green Tamil Nadu Mission’ to increase the green cover by up to 33 per cent. The government has envisioned planting around 260 crore trees across the state in the next ten years. It is expected that each district will plant around one crore of trees by next year out of which one lakh mangrove saplings will be planted.

Ramanathapuram district kick-started the target by conducting a Mangrove plantation drive on October 15, 2022 as a tribute to the former President of India – Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, on his 91st birth anniversary. The Ramanathapuram forest department and the District Rural Development Agency jointly organised this drive with the technical assistance of M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF).

As part of MSSRF’s Water Security and Climate Adaptation (WASCA) project, the plantation sites were identified using spatial and non-spatial data. Around 4000 mangrove saplings were planted – 2000 Avicennia Marina and 2000 from the Rhizophora species, and over 500 women MGNREGA workers, school and college students, MSSRF staff, and volunteers planted these saplings within two hours.

Ramanathapuram Additional Collector (Development) Thiru K.J. Praveen Kumar, I.A.S., inaugurated the event. In addition to facilitating the mangrove saplings required for the plantation drive, Dr R Ramasubramanian – Senior Fellow Coastal Systems Research programme at MSSRF, provided all technical support required. Dr Selva Mukilan – Senior Scientist, Ecotechnology programme area at MSSRF coordinated the event.