Distribution of Mangroves
Maharashtra has a long coastline of 720 km, stretching from Zai River bordering Gujarat in the north to the Terekhol River bordering Goa in the south. As per Forest Survey of India 2017, mangrove cover of state is 304 sq km.
In order to protect these mangroves the Hon’ble High Court of Bombay on October 06, 2005 directed the state to declare all mangroves on Government land as Protected Forests. Following this 5,469 ha of mangroves in and around Mumbai were notified as ‘Protected Forests’ by 2008. In 2013, State Government decided to elevate the status of mangrove forests on government land from ‘Protected Forests’ to ‘Reserved Forests’. Today about 15,088 hectares of mangroves on government land, in seven districts of Maharashtra, are notified as ‘Reserved Forests’.
Accordingly the mangrove forests in the coastal areas of Maharashtra, which have been notified under Section 4 of Indian Forest Act (1927), are as follows:
Districts | Area (ha) |
---|---|
Mumbai | 277 |
Mumbai (Sub) | 3723 |
Thane | 2063 |
Sindhudurg | 487 |
Palghar | 2908 |
Raigad | 4193 |
Ratnagiri | 1436 |
Total | 15088 |