Climate Action
The Mangrove Mission In India
August 20, 2024
Debrapriya Dutt, Director Projects, South and South East Asia
The Mangrove Mission In India
DAY : Saturday, August 10, 2024
LOCATION: Sundarbans, West Bengal, India
WEATHER: Breezy, Cloudy, Pleasant.
MOOD: Fun, adventurous, muddy and a giant dose of satisfaction
There’s nothing we like to do more than planet trees and that is exactly what our incredible team in India were up to last week! Earth Day Network, India team members Karuna Singh, Neela Majumdar, Steve Stiffle, Monodip Dutt, and myself, worked with our on the ground partner team members, in the Sundarbans to plant and check on our previous plantings, around 2 million 75 thousand mangrove baby trees!
Bengal Tiger
6:45 AM – A Breezy Morning Start
The day began with a breezy, cloudy morning that set the tone for our adventure to the Sundarbans.
Sundarbans is a mangrove area formed by the confluence of three rivers, the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna in the Bay of Bengal in northeastern India and southern Bangladesh. It was designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage site in 1997 and to be honest it’s hard to express how special this place is.
It is an area of globally recognised importance because it is home to the Royal Bengal Tiger (there are less than 5000 left in the wild), both the endangered Ganges and Irawadi dolphins, and the critically endangered endemic river terrapin. All of these creatures depend on the mangroves for their survival. It is also stunningly beautiful and if you are ever blessed to go there it will take your breath away. A world without these mangroves is unbearable to even contemplate, it is a world treasure.
7:30 AM – Gathering at Metro Cash & Carry
Which is why it is never hard to rally the Earth Day team in India to go there, even when we know it will be an epic journey and always promises to be covered in mud! The team came in from different parts of Kolkata, excitement bubbling as we headed to a large store called Metro Cash & Carry, which was our rendezvous point.
After a quick Bengali breakfast with Jhal Muri (Spicy Puffed Rice) and Bengali sweets, we boarded our cars to drive to the Canning Jetty, from where we would cruise the waters of the huge Matla River.
The name ‘Matla’ is in common parlance attributed to someone intoxicated. It describes the river well because you never know how it will meander. The drive was filled with animated chatter about the day ahead, with everyone eagerly anticipating the adventure that awaited us in the Sundarbans.
A royal welcome from the local women greets the Earth Day team!
Anil Mistry, known as the Tiger Man of India, with Karuna Singh & Debrapriya Dutt
9:30 AM – A Royal Welcome
Upon our arrival at the Canning Jetty, the village women treated us to a royal welcome. The air filled with the rhythmic beats of dhols (Indian drums) and the sound of conch shells while we were adorned with tikas and garlands and showered with flower petals. It was a heartwarming gesture that set the tone for the day. In gratitude, we gifted mature guava saplings to these remarkable women, a small token of appreciation for their hospitality.
Next, we boarded a small boat reminiscent of a canoe, which would take us to our main vessel for the day, Launch MB Sundari. ‘Sundari’ means beautiful. As we glided along the River Matla, surrounded by the vast expanse of mangroves and the delicate balance of the Sundarbans ecosystem, a sense of awe and excitement enveloped us. More so, as our guides pointed out, the mangroves we had helped plant three years back, now 3-4 feet lush plants swaying happily in the breeze. It made my heart miss a beat.
Our main boat for the journey, MB Sudari with the mangrove saplings sailing beside us
11:00 AM – Embarking on Launch Sundari
After a while, we reached Sundari, our vessel for the day. As high tide had started, we had to reschedule our plantation drive to the afternoon, giving us more time to soak in the beauty around us as we drank cups of tea and coffee and sipped fresh coconut water on the launch. The Sundarbans is a place where nature reigns supreme. The beauty around us was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
As we cruised along the river, Anil Mistry, known as the Tiger Man of India, regaled us with his thrilling stories of encounters with the majestic Royal Bengal Tiger. His tales, laced with humor and danger, perfectly accompanied the serene surroundings. The Sundarbans are the sole abode of the Royal Bengal Tiger. Their home is cordoned off to form the ‘Sundarbans Tiger Reserve.’
12:30 PM – A Feast on the River
Lunch was served on board—a delightful Bengali spread that satisfied our appetites as we floated through the Matla waters. The energy was palpable, with everyone sharing laughs and stories. Low tide had begun, and it started to drizzle, adding a mystical touch to the already magical day. We passed the time playing Dumb Charades, eagerly waiting for the waters to recede enough for us to begin the mangrove plantation drive.
Planting baby mangrove trees is muddy work!
3:30 PM – Mangrove Planting: A Muddy Affair
Finally, the moment we had all been waiting for arrived. We disembarked from Sundari and transferred to a smaller boat that would take us closer to the plantation site. The sky remained overcast, enhancing the sense of adventure as we approached the site.
Upon arrival, we realized that this would not be an easy task—there was nothing but slushy mud all around us. Standing on it, meant that we kept sinking, as if standing in quicksand. Luckily, the locals were around to pull us all out and show us how to navigate the ‘swamp’. As a colleague remarked: ‘We came to plant trees, but we got planted!’
Then it was time to work. The plantation drive was a humbling experience. Watching the local women effortlessly transport saplings using makeshift sleds while we struggled in the mud was a stark reminder of the resilience and strength of the Sundarbans community.
Our plantation efforts focused mainly on Avicennia alba (Black Mangrove) which thrives at a lower substrate level and can withstand up to 5.5 hours of solid saline water submergence a day! These trees are no good for firewood as they are so water-logged, nor for charcoal, but they are used to smoke fish. Plus, the heartwood of the Black Mangrove can be used as a herbal medicine and its seeds are eaten as a vegetable too.
Along the upper areas, with more soil stabilized sites, we planted Sonneratia apetala (Mangrove Apple). These trees bear a fruit that in Bengali is called keora, which is eaten widely here and across the entire region..
Both these species have what is called ‘lateral root’ systems that grow upward and out of the muddy saline water. This allows the lateral roots to take in air and oxygen for the main submerged root systems below the water line and helps to substantially lower tidal currents.
The other advantage of these trees is that mangroves absorb the key greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, from the atmosphere and store it, making these areas carbon sinks. So these trees help minimize flooding, are important habitats for endangered species, help to feed us, create herbal medicines and work to fight climate change. Mangrove trees are incredible.
By the end of the day we were all pretty much caked in mud and I gladly accepted a colleague’s offer of clean football shorts to change into. The sense of satisfaction that followed was unmatched. We had come here to give back to the Earth, and in turn, we received a profound lesson in humility and perseverance.
The local people are committed to protecting ‘their’ mangroves and the creatures that call it home, their passion to do so is palpable. They are unsung stewards, helping all of us in the battle against climate change. It reminds me that the work we do to support them here really matters and makes me incredibly grateful for all of your donations to The Canopy Project, that makes all of this possible. The Canopy Project, that makes all of this possible.
