Kochi, 15th February 2025: To strengthen the efforts for coastal and marine conservation in the country, the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) in collaboration with the Kerala Forest and Wildlife Department and the Ecological Restoration Alliance (ERA), with the support of the SBI Foundation is organising the National Coastal and Marine Habitat Restoration Symposium at Hotel Airlink Castle (Near Kochi International Airport), Kerala on the 14th and 15th of February 2025. 

Hon’ble Minister for Forest and Wildlife, Kerala, Shri A. K. Saseendran inaugurated the event as the chief guest in the presence of distinguished guests. Shri Pramod G. Krishnan, Chief Wildlife Warden of Kerala presided over the inaugural function while Shri Vivek Menon, founder and Executive Director, WTI delivered the special address. Dr. Yash Veer Bhatnagar, the Country Representative of IUCN served as the  Guest of Honour. The keynote address was delivered by Professor BC Choudhury, Senior Advisor – Aquatic Realm, WTI. Mr. Ritesh Sain, Program Head, SBIF CONSERW, SBI Foundation also addressed the gathering.  Mr. Arjun Singh, Senior Manager, Ecological Restoration Alliance was also present for the event.     

Hon’ble Minister for Forest and Wildlife, Kerala, Shri A. K. Saseendran giving the inaugural address | Photo by Sreenanth K /WTI

The symposium will serve as an invaluable platform for over 70 conservationists, funding agencies, forest department officials, researchers and practitioners to discuss the current advancements in ecological restoration of the coastal and marine habitats (mangroves, seagrass, sand dunes and corals) in the country. Institutions such as the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) as well as the Forest Departments of eight coastal states (Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha and Maharashtra) will present their work on the restoration being undertaken in their respective states. The symposium will also discuss the policy interventions needed for the long-term sustainability of these ecosystems. 

Various aspects of coastal ecosystem conservation, including case studies on mangrove conservation from the forest departments, strategies for advancing mangrove plantation and restoration, approaches to mapping mangroves for restoration, conservation and partnerships, efforts to conserve corals and seagrass and emerging new ideas for restoring coastal ecosystems will also be discussed.

Prof. BC Choudhury, Senior Advisor – Aquatic Realm, WTI, talked about how restoration efforts should align with principles outlined in the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration | Photo by Sreenanth K /WTI

Hon’ble Forest Minister of Kerala, Sri A. K. Saseendran expressed his appreciation for the national symposium focusing on the restoration of coastal and marine habitats, which are critically important. He emphasised that Kerala relies on its natural resources along its extensive coastline, particularly mangroves, which provide several ecosystem services. Further, mentioning that Kerala was the first state to introduce large-scale restoration in 2021, including mangrove restoration.

Vivek Menon, founder and ED of WTI, highlighted that coastal and marine ecosystems remain among the most neglected in terms of scientific understanding, as most ecological knowledge comes from terrestrial ecosystems and forestry records. He noted that multispecies restoration is emerging as a key strategy for ecosystem recovery, and the role of the private sector in this domain is becoming increasingly prominent. With both the power and willingness of private stakeholders, large-scale restoration efforts are being driven, making it a public-private model of conservation.

Ritesh Sain, Programme Head (Environment & Sports – SBI Foundation), explained that SBI Foundation operates across eight thematic areas, with its CONSERW initiative focusing on waste management, ecosystem restoration, and renewable energy solutions. He highlighted that SBI Foundation has undertaken large-scale plantation projects, planting 80 lakh trees, including mangroves along the Indian coastline, and plans to extend these efforts to all coastal states and Union Territories. Conservation initiatives also encompass protecting tigers, red pandas, mitigating human-wildlife conflict, and supporting vulture conservation.

2-day National Coastal and Marine Habitat Restoration Symposium in Kochi | Photo by Sreenanth K /WTI

Yash Veer Bhatnagar, Country Representative, IUCN, shared that one of IUCN’s earliest initiatives, the ‘Mangroves for Future’ Program, was launched in response to the 2004 tsunami, emphasising the vital role of mangroves in coastal protection and resilience. Over the years, this initiative has been crucial in enabling numerous organizations to carry out focused conservation efforts, significantly contributing to the restoration and sustainable management of coastal ecosystems.

With nearly 30% of India’s population dependent on coastal resources, marine ecosystems’ health is crucial. Climate change, rapid industrialisation and coastal development have severely impacted these fragile ecosystems. To address this, WTI is restoring mangroves in Kannur, Kerala and coral reefs in Mithapur, Gujarat to enhance resilience, biodiversity and sustainability of marine habitats.