Along India’s coasts, Rhizophora mangroves stand tall — shielding land, calming tides, and protecting countless forms of coastal life.
Growing where the sea meets the shore, Rhizophora mangroves form a living barrier against storms, tides, and erosion. Their dense roots slow down waves, helping protect communities and coastlines from rising seas and cyclones.
Their stilt roots rise from the mud, allowing them to breathe, hold sediment, and anchor the trees during fierce tidal shifts. They also trap sediment, building and stabilising the very ground they grow on.
Few plants can endure the challenges Rhizophora face. They thrive in salty, shifting soils with little oxygen, where freshwater and seawater constantly collide. Their ability to filter salt and store fresh water makes them true survivors of the shore.
Crabs, fish, mudskippers, and birds all find shelter among Rhizophora roots, turning their forests into living nurseries.
During the 2004 tsunami, Rhizophora patches in Car Nicobar withstood rising seas better than many other coastal zones, showing how crucial they are in reducing disaster damage.
These mangroves lock away carbon, slow wave energy, and hold coastlines together, fighting climate change every single day.
Efforts to restore these mangroves are taking root. In Chennai’s Adyar estuary, thousands of Rhizophora saplings were planted using canal designs that mimic natural tidal flows.
Yet, these ecosystems face growing threats. Shrimp farms, blocked tidal flows, pollution, and expanding urban areas continue to choke mangrove belts across the country. Without careful management and community involvement, many of these natural barriers could vanish.
Rhizophora mangroves don’t just guard our coasts — they sustain livelihoods and biodiversity. Restoring them isn’t an environmental option; it’s a necessity for a safer, more resilient coastline.
This story is part of a content series by The Better India and Roundglass Sustain.
Read the complete story here