Muthupet, a coastal town located in the Thiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu, has witnessed a notable transformation over the past few years in its mangrove cover. Muthupet is home to the largest mangrove forest in the State, spanning across 120 square kilometres along the Palk Strait. According to an official document, the mangrove area in Muthupet has grown by 2,057 hectares from 2022 to 2025.The Muthupet wetland complex, encompassing six reserved forests, is an ecosystem that supports diverse wildlife, including over 100 species of migratory water birds like Lesser Flamingos and Spot-Billed Pelicans. These mangrove forests, dominated by Avicennia marina, act as a natural shield against storm surges, tsunamis, sea-level rise, and coastal erosion. They also play a key role in the ecology of the Cauvery delta, and the hydrology of several important distributaries.A major driver behind this revival has been the active involvement of the local community, particularly the fishing families living in villages surrounding the wetland, along with the Forest Department. The restoration activities, which have been ongoing since 2001, have adopted various techniques to optimise mangrove growth. According to Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary to Departments of Environment, Climate Change and Forests, the fishbone technique, introduced in 2004, has been a game-changer. This design allows for better tidal water flow, essential for mangrove establishment, by creating a network of canals that disperse seeds naturally. In 2023-24 alone, 350 hectares were treated using this method, with a new trial of “step-type canals” aimed at increasing propagule survival rates.“Under the Green TN Mission, in Muthupet alone we have planted more than 12 lakh mangrove propagules creating 1350 hectares of new plantations here,” Ms. Sahu wrote on social media platform X.According to the official note, between 2022 and 2024, Muthupet saw a total of 1,350 hectares of new mangrove plantations, with another 707 hectares undergoing restoration.Published - June 29, 2025 11:20 pm IST