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Local peoples attitude towards conservation and development around
Pichavaram mangrove ecosystem, Tamil Nadu, India.
Keywords:
Mangrove ecosystem, Livelihood, Attitudes, Conservation, Development.
ABSTRACT

Studies in mangrove ecosystem are often focused on biological or ecological
criteria and interdependency between mangroves and people is normally neglected.
The situation is similar in Tamil Nadu; India which has a coastline of about 950 km.
One of the major mangrove forests in Tamil Nadu is situated in Pichavaram, Cuddalore
district. The present study was carried out in the seventeen hamlets, which are
directly or indirectly dependent on the Pichavaram mangrove wetlands for their
livelihood and survival. These seventeen hamlets consist of over 2600 households
many of whom derive their principal income from fishing and related activities.
Individual surveys were carried out for 10% of the households in each of the selected
hamlets. Semi-structured questionnaires were used for surveys to study the attitude
and perception of the community on the conservation and importance of mangrove
wetlands and resources. The study was conducted to assess the awareness, attitudes
and views of people dependent on the mangrove ecosystem towards conservation
issues and development options. It was observed that a large percentage of the
sampled population showed a positive inclination towards conservation of the
ecosystem and were well aware of their responsibility towards it.

906-910 | JRB | 2013 | Vol 3 | No 3

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www.jresearchbiology.com
Journal of Research in Biology
An International Scientific
Research Journal
Authors:
Lakshmi Kodoth and
Ramamoorthy D.



Institution:
Department of Ecology &
Environmental Sciences,
Pondicherry University,
Puducherry.




Corresponding author:
Lakshmi Kodoth.





Email:
lakshmi.kodoth@gmail.com










Web Address:
http://jresearchbiology.com/
documents/RA0274.pdf.
Dates:
Received: 08 Aug 2012 Accepted: 26 Aug 2012 Published: 06 May 2013
Article Citation:
Lakshmi Kodoth and Ramamoorthy D.
Local peoples attitude towards conservation and development around Pichavaram
mangrove ecosystem, Tamil Nadu, India.
Journal of Research in Biology (2013) 3(3): 906-910
Journal of Research in Biology
Original Research
An International Scientific Research Journal


INTRODUCTION
The Mangrove ecosystem has been studied
extensively by scientists more in the ecological and
biological sense. During the 1980s and early 1990s, more
attention was given to research involving the human
interactions with the forested wetlands (FAO, 1985;
Hamilton et al., 1989; FAO, 1994; Cormier-Salem,
1999). Mangrove wetlands are a dominant feature of the
intertidal areas of the tropical and subtropical regions in
between 25N and 25S latitudes. The mangrove
ecosystem provides a number of ecological services:
provision of plant and animal products (Macnae, 1974;
Rasolofo, 1997; Spaninks and Beukering, 1997),
sediment trapping and nutrient uptake and transformation
(Furukawa et al., 1997; Hussain and Badola, 2008), they
provide detritus food for the aquatic fauna, harbour
migratory and aquatic birds, serve as spawning ground
for fishes, mussels and prawns. They also act as a natural
shield against storms and tidal waves (Kathiresan and
Rajendran, 2005).
The coastal communities are largely dependent on
the mangrove forests for firewood, timber, honey, fodder
and for its fishery resources. Most coastal communities
in the tropics are significantly dependent on the harvest
of marine and coastal resources for sustaining their
livelihoods (Kunstadter et al., 1986). The majority of
people living near the mangrove areas derive their
income predominantly from fishing and related activities.
Hence, the present study was carried out as it is essential
to understand peoples attitude and perception towards
the mangrove ecosystem as they derive their livelihood
from it; it helps us in formulating better policies and
enhances the developmental plan for the ecosystem.
Study Area
India has a coastline of 7,516 km of which Tamil
Nadu has about 950 km. Extensive mangrove wetlands
are located in two places namely, i) in Pichavaram,
Cuddalore district and ii) Muthupet in Thivarur and
Tanjore districts.
The Pichavaram mangrove wetland is located in
the northern extreme of Cauvery delta between the
Vellar and Coleroon estuaries (figure 1). Geographically,
it is located between 7947E longitude and 1127N
latitude. The Pichavaram mangrove forests have an area
of about 1,350 ha, which are colonised by 13 true
mangrove species. Rhizophora Sp and Avicennia Sp are
the predominant mangrove species present in the
Pichavaram mangrove forests. Pichavaram mangrove
wetland is also rich in its fishery resources (figure 2).
Annually about 245 tons of fishery resources are
harvested from this mangrove wetland, of which prawns
alone contribute 85% of the catch (Selvam et al., 2003).
Methods
People belonging to 17 hamlets surrounding the
Kodoth and Ramamoorthy, 2013
907 Journal of Research in Biology (2013) 3(3): 906-910
Figure 1 Glimpse of the Pichavaram mangrove forest
Figure 2 Fishing in the mangrove backwaters
Pichavaram mangroves wetland were selected for survey.
For each selected hamlet 10% of the households were
picked up randomly for the household survey. Using
semi-structured questionnaires, information on the
demography, land use, income and occupational pattern
as well as local dependence on the mangrove resources
were gathered (Badola and Hussain, 2003; Glaser,2003) .
Few open ended questions were also included to
determine the attitude and perception of villagers
towards development and conservation issues. A total of
324 households were surveyed. The responses we got
were mostly in terms of yes, no and we dont know.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Assess the awareness and views towards conservation
The results (Table 1) showed that majority of the
respondents i.e. 91% (n=324) were aware that
Pichavaram mangrove was as declared protected area
and this awareness was gained largely because of,
NGOs working in that area and the forest department.
An overwhelming percentage (84%) of the local
population felt responsible towards the protection of the
mangrove ecosystem and another 76.7% are in favour of
eco-development projects in the area. Out of the 324
respondents, 67% of the people are willing to cooperate
with the forest department for the same. Only a small
percentage of people feel their rights being violated
because of the protected area status if the ecosystem.
When questioned regarding their views on
eco-development initiatives and its implementation, a
majority of the respondents (44.7%) were in favour of
the community led initiatives. 32% felt that NGOs
should take lead in eco-development and the rest
23% felt that the government should take up
eco-developmental projects by itself ( Table 2).
The importance of the mangrove forests to the
local population was emphasized when a majority of
people were against cutting down of the forests. A
majority of the respondents (71%) felt that more
mangrove plantations need to be carried out, while
28.4% felt that the present conditions of the mangrove
forests were good (Table 3).
Kodoth and Ramamoorthy, 2013
Journal of Research in Biology (2013) 3(3): 906-910 908
Table 1: Attitude of people towards Pichavaram Mangrove Ecosystem and conservation (n= 324)
Questions Yes (%) No (%) Dont Know (%)
Are you aware that Pichavaram Mangrove Ecosystem is declared
as Protected area?
91 9 -
Do you feel any sense of responsibility for the protection of the
ecosystem?
84 13.8 2.2
Do you feel your rights have been violated after the declaration of
PA?
11.9 80.5 7.6
Do you face any problem because of PA? 15.8 78.6 5.6
Are you in favour of the implementation of an ecodevelopment
project?
76.7 15.3 8
Would you like to co-operate with the forest department with regard
to the ecodevelopment project?
67 23 10
Table 2: View of respondents towards
Eco-Development itiatives (n = 324)
Views Frequency Percentage
Want through govt.
initiative
75 23.1
Want through
Community initiative
145 44.7
Want through NGO
initiative
104 32
Table 3: View of local people towards various
management alternatives (n = 324)
Management Alternatives Responses (%)
Forests should be cut and land used
for other purposes
0.6
Current situation of protecting the
forests is good
28.4
Increase in mangrove plantations
needed
71


The findings in this study are similar to that of
the study in Bitarkanika mangrove ecosystem in Orissa
(Badola and Hussain, 2003) which shows that the
villagers are well aware of their responsibility to the
ecosystem and willing to participate in the conservation
efforts of both the government and NGOs.
Developmental Options
Recently, eco tourism has been promoted to a
large extent in Pichavaram mangrove forests. Majority of
the respondents (76%) were in favour of developing eco
tourism as it will improve job opportunities for the local
population. Shrimp farms are not favoured in the area as
83% of the responses were against setting up of such
farms. This is primarily due to the fact that shrimp farms
in the area are the reason for increase in salinity of the
canal water (Table 4).
Ecological functions and values identified by local
community
The respondents were given a list of ecological
functions to find out how much they were aware of the
functions and its direct or indirect importance in their
livelihoods.
Table 5 shows ranking of use values, 76% gave
highest ranking to contribution of mangroves towards
fishing. 63% gave agriculture as their second preference.
Incase of ranking ecological functions performed by
the Pichavaram mangrove ecosystem, 77.8% of the
responses favoured Tsunami/cyclone mitigation. 67.2%
gave second preference to nutrient cycling (Table 6).
The results show that the respondents were aware
of both the direct and indirect benefits of the mangrove
ecosystem. It is evident from the results that people value
the uses or function which more beneficial to them in
their day today lives.

CONCLUSION
The results showed that in general people have a
positive attitude towards conservation and are aware of
their responsibility in sustaining these mangrove forests.
The socio economic and market conditions influence the
peoples attitude towards the resources. Eco
developmental plans were in favour with the local
population since it will be helpful in formulating
sustainable policies for ecosystem. The promotion of eco
tourism in the area had a largely positive response hence
it should be capitalised on to improve local economy.
Inclusion of the local people in decision making process
can lead to successful management of the Pichavaram
mangrove ecosystem.

REFERENCE
Badola R and Hussain SA. 2003. Valuation of the
Bhitarkanika mangrove ecosystem for ecological security
and sustainable resource use. Study report. Wildlife
Institute of India, Dehra Dun.

Kodoth and Ramamoorthy, 2013
909 Journal of Research in Biology (2013) 3(3): 906-910
Table 5: Ranking of the use values in Percentage
(n=324)
Use values Rank 1 (%) Rank 2 (%) Rank 3 (%)
Fishing 76 18 6
Agriculture 26 63 11
Tourism 35 56 9
Table 6: Percentage ranking of various functions
(n=324)
Ecological
functions
Rank 1
(%)
Rank 2
(%)
Rank 3
(%)
Fish 59.4 34.3 6.3
Aesthetic 38 59 3
Tsunami/cyclone
mitigation
77.8 22.2 0
Nutrient 32.2 67.2 0.6
Table 4: View of local people towards various developmental options (n = 324)
Queries Yes (%) No (%) Dont know(%)
Are you in favour of developing eco tourism in the area 76 16 8
Are you in favour of shrimp farms 8 83 9
Has Shrimp farms been useful to you? (n=14) 47 46 7
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Kodoth and Ramamoorthy, 2013
Journal of Research in Biology (2013) 3(3): 906-910 910
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