v
Preface
Ecosystem service provided by mangroves has many dimensions. To the consumer,
it encompasses timber, fuel wood, fodder, fishes, honey, wax, etc., which can be
purchased. To the economist, it is the key fuel for coastal prosperity. To the environmentalist, it acts as a reservoir of GHGs like carbon and nitrogen and a coast guard
against natural disasters. To the local inhabitants, mangrove ecosystem is the source
of their livelihood, economic and food security. However, I believe that there is a
retirement age of all these services as most of the services offered by mangrove
ecosystem in the form of fishes, honey, timber, fuel, wax, etc. have a shelf life of
their own. The shelf life can be stretched through regulatory policies, long-term
planning and balanced research work. The entire spectrum of ecosystem services of
mangroves is still untapped due to contradictory approaches and lack of implementing the fruits of cutting-edge researches into policy domain. Today, environmentalists oppose the expansion of tourism units and shrimp farms in the mangroves, but
it is to be noted that these are also the sources of livelihoods to millions of coastal
inhabitants and island dwellers. If these activities are banned, there will be more
illegal intrusion into the forests and exploitation of the natural resources. The end
results will be negative. If, instead, some combined biological treatment plant
(CBTP) can be implemented, I think it would be a sustainable footstep to conserve
the natural resources as well as livelihood generation through tourism and shrimp
farm-based activities. However, there is hardly any focus in this direction at the
policy level, and I am sure that even after reading this preface, it may be a show
piece in the book shelf.
In this book, I have attempted to highlight the works of few budding researchers
who have initiated few cutting-edge researches in the verticals of climate change
and alternative livelihood. The sincere efforts undertaken by Dr. Shankhadeep
Chakraborty in confirming the efficacy of mangrove vegetation as natural agents of
bioremediation and Dr. Prosenjit Pramanick and Ms. Sudeshna Biswas in developing food products from mangroves need appreciation. The hard labour of Dr. Asish
Mondal under the supervision of Dr. Subhra Bikash Bhattacharyya to develop a
sustainable polyculture model is a timely shot to save the environment and increase
the profitability in aquaculture sector. The endeavours of Ms. Nabonita Pal and
Preface
Ecosystem service provided by mangroves has many dimensions. To the consumer,
it encompasses timber, fuel wood, fodder, fishes, honey, wax, etc., which can be
purchased. To the economist, it is the key fuel for coastal prosperity. To the environmentalist, it acts as a reservoir of GHGs like carbon and nitrogen and a coast guard
against natural disasters. To the local inhabitants, mangrove ecosystem is the source
of their livelihood, economic and food security. However, I believe that there is a
retirement age of all these services as most of the services offered by mangrove
ecosystem in the form of fishes, honey, timber, fuel, wax, etc. have a shelf life of
their own. The shelf life can be stretched through regulatory policies, long-term
planning and balanced research work. The entire spectrum of ecosystem services of
mangroves is still untapped due to contradictory approaches and lack of implementing the fruits of cutting-edge researches into policy domain. Today, environmentalists oppose the expansion of tourism units and shrimp farms in the mangroves, but
it is to be noted that these are also the sources of livelihoods to millions of coastal
inhabitants and island dwellers. If these activities are banned, there will be more
illegal intrusion into the forests and exploitation of the natural resources. The end
results will be negative. If, instead, some combined biological treatment plant
(CBTP) can be implemented, I think it would be a sustainable footstep to conserve
the natural resources as well as livelihood generation through tourism and shrimp
farm-based activities. However, there is hardly any focus in this direction at the
policy level, and I am sure that even after reading this preface, it may be a show
piece in the book shelf.
In this book, I have attempted to highlight the works of few budding researchers
who have initiated few cutting-edge researches in the verticals of climate change
and alternative livelihood. The sincere efforts undertaken by Dr. Shankhadeep
Chakraborty in confirming the efficacy of mangrove vegetation as natural agents of
bioremediation and Dr. Prosenjit Pramanick and Ms. Sudeshna Biswas in developing food products from mangroves need appreciation. The hard labour of Dr. Asish
Mondal under the supervision of Dr. Subhra Bikash Bhattacharyya to develop a
sustainable polyculture model is a timely shot to save the environment and increase
the profitability in aquaculture sector. The endeavours of Ms. Nabonita Pal and