Mangrove ecotourism in India links livelihoods to forest protection
Tourists increasingly explore mangroves by boat in coastal India, with studies suggesting local benefits bolster conservation when communities share income. The article examines Tamil Nadu’s Pichavaram, Karnataka’s backwaters, and broader national mangrove data.
Key takeaways
- Mangroves in India cover 4,991.68 sq km, about 0.15% of the country’s area, per the India State of Forest Report 2023.
- States and sites mentioned include West Bengal, Gujarat, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Karnataka (14.20 sq km), Bhitarkanika, Kadalundi, Pichavaram, Saligrama and Udupi.
- Ecotourism activities such as boat tours, kayaking, and wildlife watching are increasingly used around mangroves and can support conservation when local communities share benefits.
- A Sundarbans case study found tourism-related work can improve livelihoods for participants and reduce reliance on forest resources, though seasonal and location-specific dynamics apply.
- A 2024 Journal of Environmental Management review of Southeast Asia highlights that community participation and meaningful benefit-sharing are common conditions for successful conservation via tourism
What Happened
The article describes experiences of navigating mangrove creeks by kayak or boat in several Indian coastal sites, including Tamil Nadu’s Pichavaram, the backwaters near Karnataka’s Saligrama and Udupi, Bhitarkanika in Odisha, and Kadalundi in Kerala. It highlights the idea that tourism can become a livelihood for local residents without requiring mangrove harvesting, potentially supporting forest protection when the income reaches the communities that depend on these ecosystems.
It notes a pattern seen in multiple studies: ecotourism activities such as boat tours, wildlife watching, kayaking, and mangrove planting are increasingly used around mangrove ecosystems, with evidence that meaningful local participation and benefit-sharing accompany conservation gains. At the same time, it acknowledges risks if visitation is excessive or mismanaged, potentially disturbing wildlife, vegetation, or increasing waste. It references a 2024 review covering Southeast Asian mangroves from 2010 to 2022 and a Sundarbans case study that found tourism can correlate with higher household well‑being for participants and reduced reliance on forest resources, when implemented with benefits flowing to local residents.
The article also furnishes a broader national context: India has 4,991.68 square kilometers of mangrove cover, amounting to about 0.15% of the country’s total land area, according to the India State of Forest Report 2023. West Bengal holds the largest share of mangroves, followed by Gujarat and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, while Karnataka’s mangrove footprint is comparatively small at 14.20 square kilometers.
Examples cited include experiences in Tamil Nadu’s Pichavaram, where waters narrow and mangrove roots rise from the mud, illustrating the kind of waterways that visitors interact with as part of ecotourism. The article also points to the Sundarbans as a case study in which tourism activity supported livelihoods for boatmen, guides, and vendors in a remote island village, with evidence that participants benefited economically and relied less on forest resources.
Overall, the reporting emphasizes a question at the heart of mangrove ecotourism: can money generated by visitors help local communities earn from protecting the forest without compromising ecological integrity?
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
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