India’s First National Standard for Mangrove Ecosystem Restoration

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is preparing to introduce India’s first-ever national standard dedicated to the restoration of mangrove ecosystems. The proposed guidelines cover eco-friendly planting materials, livelihood-linked plantation measures, scientific zoning for species placement, and community-linked carbon credit benefits.

Restoration of Mangrove Ecosystem :

Dimension	Key Details
Authority	The standard is prepared by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
Eco-friendly sourcing	The guidelines provide for replacing conventional polythene bags with biodegradable or cloth bags for growing and planting mangrove seeds.
Livelihood integration	The guidelines provide for planting fruit-bearing trees on the landward side of mangrove zones to create financial incentives and alternative livelihoods for forest-dependent communities.
Scientific zoning	The guidelines provide for restoring functional micro-ecosystems by planting the right combination of species at specific tidal spots to attract native fauna like crabs and small fish.
Carbon credit linkage	The guidelines provide for incorporating frameworks indicating how local communities can benefit from carbon credits generated via restored carbon sinks.
Implementation status	The guidelines apply as a voluntary BIS standard initially.
Adoption pathway mentioned	Efforts are underway to urge the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and state-specific mangrove cells to adopt the guidelines as mandatory operational protocols.
Challenge in standard-setting	The drafting process accounts for mangrove-region differences in salinity, tidal patterns, geography, and human settlement density.