Mangrove Plantation in Kachchh: The Wisdom of Tides, Culture, and Traditional Ecological Knowledge
- Guest Writer
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Written by Kapilkumar N. Ingle (Guest Writer)
Mangrove restoration practices around the globe are often grounded on two points: what to plant and where to plant. But a third point, ‘when to plant’ is generally neglected.
Kachchh (Gujarat) is the largest district in India and supports vast mangrove areas on the western coast despite its arid and semi-arid climate. These conditions result in high evaporation rates and create a challenging environment for coastal vegetation [1].
Avicennia marina is the dominant mangrove species here in Kachchh and can survive under some of the highest salinity conditions due to strong adaptation potentials [2].
Kachchh’s bittersweet environmental conditions
The hot, dry winds of Kachchh swept across the vast mudflats. The landscape appears unforgiving with dry air, the mud also cracks in plantation site, and the next tide water seems a few days away.
The site selection for mangrove plantation is normally done in the hot days of summer when the sub-creek water feels warm. In the distance, we see a few trees of Avicennia marina standing as silent survivors in an environment that constantly tests the limits of their life.
Which mangrove plantation method works best in Kachchh?
There are three methods which are generally used for mangrove plantation - direct dibbing, ‘otla’ or raise bed method, and the nursery method [3]. The ‘otla’ method is considered as the best for this species but it is only useful where regular tidal water comes.
But the area where tidal water is not frequent and the few days in the month where tidal waters reach, plantation in such circumstances can be quite challenging. In such sites the ‘nursery’ method is quite useful. The location of nursery should be in the area, where the regular tidal inundation is available, particularly next to sub-creeks to receive daily tidal water.
After the monsoon, there is only a short period suitable for transplanting the seedlings. Newly transplanted seedlings of A. marina must speedily establish their root systems and adapt to local environmental conditions. They are sensitive to the cold which slows their growth, but this season keeps them alive. So, no doubt, the starting of winter is their favourable period.
Under Kachchh’s environmental conditions, the first few days after transplantation determine whether a seedling survives or dies.
Using the wisdom of people and the tides for successful plantation
The labourers and field practitioners involved in seedling plantation have many years of observations and experience in the transplantation of nursery-raised mangrove seedlings to plantation sites.
This is done 3-4 days before a full moon or new moon as this often improves establishment success. These periods coincide with the onset of spring tides, when tidal ranges become larger and inundation becomes more frequent.
Such tidal inundation provides continuous moisture during the critical establishment phase. Fresh tidal exchange helps to reduce desiccation stress in the daytime heat of Kachchh winter.
Transplantation should be done when the soil is already wet or tidal water is present at the site. During first few days, seedlings show survival, after which they can further withstand in arid regions of Kachchh.
The importance of traditional ecological knowledge, culture, and seasonality in plantation
Seasons in the Indian subcontinent have cultural and ecological importance because many festivals are based on these seasons. The flowering of A. marina generally coincides with increasing temperatures in ‘Vasant’, while fruit maturation availability occurs in ‘Grishma’.
Nursery preparation during the rainy season (Varshya) benefits from improved moisture availability and reduced salinity stress. Seedlings raised during this period typically attain a suitable size for better transplantation by winter.
Transplantation is preferably carried out in late December (Hemant rutu), when temperatures are relatively mild and newly planted seedlings can establish before the onset of extreme summer conditions.
Although these climatic conditions vary from state to state in India, understanding species phenology and seasonal changes can help to improve the timing and success of mangrove restoration activities.
Interestingly, local workers and coastal communities often recognize these favourable planting periods. In many parts of India, approximately three to four days before the full moon or new moon correspond to the traditional lunar dates known as Ekadashi (11th day after full or no moon day) and Dwadashi (12th day after full or no moon day). These periods are often related to spring tides in near future.
When these days are selected for transplantations, the environmental conditions reduce seedling stress, improve sediment settlement around the roots, and make plantation successful.
Such observations can illustrate how traditional ecological knowledge and natural tidal pattern can complement modern mangrove restoration practices.
As coastal ecosystems are facing pressures throughout the globe due to climate change, sea-level rise, and habitat degradation, restoration should be both scientifically vigorous and locally relevant.
Understanding of natural tidal rhythms and incorporating field-based traditional knowledge into restoration planning may offer a simple but powerful way to improve the restoration success in challenging environments such as Kachchh and throughout the world.
References
[1] Ravinesh, R. et al. Blue Carbon Ecosystems of Kachchh Coast, Gujarat: Ecological Treasure of Coastal Biodiversity. in Navigating Climate Change: Impacts on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Resilience (eds. Barathan, B. P., Velupillai, V., Perumal, S. & Kannan, K.) 1–29 (Springer Nature Singapore, Singapore, 2025). doi:10.1007/978-981-95-0409-1_1.
[2] Behera, D. P., Ravinesh, R., Prabhadevi, L., Dixit, D. & Ingle, K. N. Flooding stress adaptations: Evolutionary mechanisms of mangrove tolerance. J. Aquat. Plants 2, 100014 (2026).
[3] Thivakaran, G. A. Mangrove Restoration: An Overview of Coastal Afforestation in India BT - Wetland Science : Perspectives From South Asia. in Wetland Science (eds. Prusty, B. A. K., Chandra, R. & Azeez, P. A.) 501–512 (Springer India, New Delhi, 2017). doi:10.1007/978-81-322-3715-0_26.
About the Author
Dr. Kapilkumar Ingle is a project scientist at the Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology (GUIDE), India. He has been actively involved in the study of coastal ecosystem management (mangrove and seaweed ecology) across the arid coastal landscapes of Kachchh, Gujarat. His work focuses on understanding the ecological responses of mangroves to environmental stressors, evaluating the impacts of plantation and cultivation activities, and identifying practical approaches for effective restoration. Through extensive fieldwork and collaboration with local communities, he seeks to translate field-based observations and traditional ecological knowledge into science-based management and conservation strategies for coastal ecosystems.
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