The Sundarbans, a sprawling mangrove forest shared by India and Bangladesh, is a vibrant ecosystem of high biodiversity value. Home to indigenous communities like the Mouli tribe, this unique landscape has sustained generations through fishing, farming, and beekeeping. The region is also known for its rich biodiversity and array of wildlife, including the iconic Royal Bengal tiger, crocodiles, deer, and various bird species. While facing increasing pressures from human activity and climate change, our efforts are underway to restore and protect the Sundarbans by planting native mangrove species with the active involvement of local communities.
West Bengal, India
Project Location: South 24 Parganas; West Bengal, India
Methodology: Afforestation & Reforestation of Degraded Mangrove Habitats
Standard: Verified Carbon Standard
Plantation Area: 1400 HA
Current Plantation: 12 million trees
Species Planted: 14
Mangroves are nature’s adaptive marvels, shielding coastlines from the fury of storms and tides while providing sources of livelihood for coastal inhabitants. Building on this natural resilience, our program aims to strengthen the region’s adaptive capacity by leveraging the power of local communities. “Baha’ Mou,” for example, supports the Mouli community by facilitating market access for their mangrove honey products, fostering livelihoods. “Learning with Joy” is another example that enhances island dwellers’ access to primary education. These social interventions and continued engagement with the communities ensure permeance and longevity in these programs, an essential element of a blue carbon project in the Sundarbans.
Given the dispersed nature of these islands, access to schools for younger children is limited. The program works with infrastructure upgrading to one of the existing island schools, from the current limit of intakes of the 2nd grade to include children up to the 5th grade. We envision this to act as a bridge for children who can then have the option of continuing their secondary schooling and high school pursuits in neighboring islands.
These island communities have a fight on their hands. Diverse gender participation is crucial for the success of such programs. Gradually pushing the social boundary is imperative, and our women project participants have been instrumental in setting up nurseries, planting mangroves, and contributing immensely to the operations and maintenance of the projects. The Baha Mou’ mangrove honey program is a highlight of the program, given this all-women collective can connect itself to a digital and export marketplace.
The entire program is run by the people of these islands. All the operational teams, from seed collection to planting to maintenance, are from these islands. Apart from the direct economic activity that the mangrove program generates, there is a women’s collective as a part of the livelihoods project involving the collection, packaging, and export of mangrove honey. The project also works to provide livestock and build fisheries in the region to enhance household income.
Mangroves are a crucial defense mechanism for this region. These islands are among the most vulnerable regions in the world to climate change. So, building walls of mangroves is the only option for them to adapt. The loss of livelihoods due to degrading mangroves and soil erosion are also issues of high relevance. The project thus serves a dual win-win purpose, one of carbon removal and the other of coastal adaptation, which is imperative for these islands. Mangrove restoration and livelihood development are the driving forces behind our efforts to ensure this program positively impacts both communities and biodiversity.
This program is amidst the Royal Bengal tiger habitat. The dense mangroves provide this majestic creature cover for hunting and escaping illegal poaching, playing a crucial part in their existence and survival. Apart from the tigers, this region is home to the King Cobra, olive ridley turtles, green turtles, and estuarine crocodiles, making it a rich biodiversity ecosystem that needs the mangrove habitat to thrive.
Given the dispersed nature of these islands, access to schools for younger children is limited. The program works with infrastructure upgrading to one of the existing island schools, from the current limit of intakes of the 2nd grade to include children up to the 5th grade. We envision this to act as a bridge for children who can then have the option of continuing their secondary schooling and high school pursuits in neighboring islands.
These island communities have a fight on their hands. Diverse gender participation is crucial for the success of such programs. Gradually pushing the social boundary is imperative, and our women project participants have been instrumental in setting up nurseries, planting mangroves, and contributing immensely to the operations and maintenance of the projects. The Baha Mou’ mangrove honey program is a highlight of the program, given this all-women collective can connect itself to a digital and export marketplace.
The entire program is run by the people of these islands. All the operational teams, from seed collection to planting to maintenance, are from these islands. Apart from the direct economic activity that the mangrove program generates, there is a women’s collective as a part of the livelihoods project involving the collection, packaging, and export of mangrove honey. The project also works to provide livestock and build fisheries in the region to enhance household income.
Mangroves are a crucial defense mechanism for this region. These islands are among the most vulnerable regions in the world to climate change. So, building walls of mangroves is the only option for them to adapt. The loss of livelihoods due to degrading mangroves and soil erosion are also issues of high relevance. The project thus serves a dual win-win purpose, one of carbon removal and the other of coastal adaptation, which is imperative for these islands. Mangrove restoration and livelihood development are the driving forces behind our efforts to ensure this program positively impacts both communities and biodiversity.
This program is amidst the Royal Bengal tiger habitat. The dense mangroves provide this majestic creature cover for hunting and escaping illegal poaching, playing a crucial part in their existence and survival. Apart from the tigers, this region is home to the King Cobra, olive ridley turtles, green turtles, and estuarine crocodiles, making it a rich biodiversity ecosystem that needs the mangrove habitat to thrive.
Baha’ Mou Honey Production Worker
Sundarbans, West Bengal, India
