Introducing Mangrove Mitigation to the Urban Development in Mumbai

Abstract

Mumbai is the economic capital and the most densely urbanized coastal city of India. Environmental strain caused by rapid development of the city is studied with focus on one aspect of Mumbai's environment, the mangrove ecology, which has been threatened by urbanization ever since the city began to evolve. The development authority of the city proposes a regional plan to guide future growth. An addendum to this regional plan is part of this thesis. The process of developing a mangrove mitigation plan is discussed in this paper. The paper analyzes the potential mangrove stand, which can be restored, and why they need to be restored. This thesis recommends mangrove conservation and restoration policies for Mumbai, based on the process of data collection, data structuring, comparative analysis and development of implementation strategies. A study of Mangrove management policies implemented in other countries and coastal cities supports the mangrove management strategies suggested for the city of Mumbai. Future land development proposed by the development authority of Mumbai has been analyzed to identify probable impacts on mangrove ecology and to highlight mangrove mitigation sites. These sites offer a platform for active mangrove management that will provide important environmental services to Mumbai in the future.