LocationsBy Vikram Yadav and Vikas Gaikwad
Restoring the Roots: How a village in Maharashtra revived its mangroves
April 1, 2026
Abhishek Gijare/UNDP India
In the western Indian state of Maharashtra, along the northern coast, lies the small village of Khardi in Palghar district. It is the kind of place where the tide sets the rhythm of daily life — where families have fished the creeks, farmed the land, and collected shellfish from the waterways for generations. What made all of this possible, quietly and without much recognition, were the mangroves.
Rajendra Gharat, Sarpanch of Khardi village
Abhishek Gijare/UNDP India
Khardi has been known as ‘Datiware’ for generations, before it was designated a separate Gram Panchayat. “This name captures this bond. Dat means dense. Tiware means mangroves. It will not be an exaggeration to say that we Agri community here link our identity to mangrove forests,” says Rajendra Gharat, Sarpanch of the Khardi.
When the trees began to disappear, the balance broke and saltwater freely moved inwards. On the nearby Jhow Island, it even turned farmland infertile which became a collective loss for the entire community. The community did not want that future.
A New Beginning
In 2021, the village became part of a major restoration effort under the Enhancing Climate Resilience of India’s Coastal Communities (ECRICC) project. The Mangrove Cell of the Maharashtra Forest Department led the work, supported by The Green Climate Fund and UNDP India. More than 20 hectares of degraded land was selected for restoration.
Forester Navnath Sangale was at the centre of the effort. “Mangrove restoration is complicated. The humidity drains you. Mud is deep and can get treacherous. And the tide decides your working hours of the day,” he says. His team including labourers, Forest Staff and forestry experts often spent eight to ten hours in wet, salty land.
Navnath Sangale observing the restored mangroves
Abhishek Gijare/UNDP India
How a Forest Was Replanted
Before planting, the team identified degraded mangroves at the site. Mapping of the site through GIS, along with physical observations, was conducted by forestry specialists to assess whether the land could support mangroves. Once the results came back positive, restoration began.
Feeder channels were carved that would bring back tidal water to the identified degraded mangrove sites. Three species of Mangroves were planted to maintain biodiversity as well as ecological balance –Ceriops tagal, Rhizophora mucronate and Bruguiera cylindrica. All saplings were planted 1.5 metres apart to get adequate space to grow. The restoration process generated employment for 45 people, mostly from nearby tribal communities.
From Community Members to Custodians
The Forest Department held meetings with farmers living next to the site. They explained the process and gave assurance that the work would not harm their fields. They also asked for help to keep cattle away from young plants. This cooperation slowly turned into a strong support system.
A neighbouring farmer couple, Santosh and Devyani Gharat, took on the role of watchers of a restored mangrove forest. Santosh learned the value of forests early from his father, who served as a Forester. He remembers that not long ago the land was so plain that one could easily see villages 30 kilometres away. “These days every morning, when I climb a palm tree and stand sentinel over the restored land, I can see lush green rows gracefully waving with the rhythm of waves and winds,” Santosh says proudly.
Devyani echoes a shared sense of pride and joy. After effortlessly managing household and farm work, she decided to start a new inning after her children got married. She has been nurturing over 80,000 newly planted mangrove trees for the last three years.
“Working around mangroves gives me immense joy. These trees are evergreen, so I don’t feel tired working around them even if it is peak summertime. It feels like the land is breathing again,” she says.
Santosh and Devyani Gharat, a farmer couple neighbouring a mangrove restoration site, chose to start a second inning of life as watchers of the mangroves
Abhishek Gijare/UNDP India
For a generation of women including Ruchita Gharat, understanding of the mangroves did not just come from the sight of trees but also from the bitter smell of the Meswak oil. This oil, extracted from a mangrove, has been part of household care for generations.
With the forest back, women have started the extraction and sale of meswak oil as a means of livelihood. They are also exploring starting crab farms as well as fish value-added products, particularly from crabs and sea bass; both species are thriving along the
mangroves under the livelihood activities of the ECRICC Project. “If I want my children to protect mangroves, I have to make sure that they understand how the forest supports our life. This generation cares. They just need experiences,” Ruchita says.
Ruchita Patil observes meswak fruits, a remedy that has been part of her family’s traditions for generations. As a child, she was often called by her grandparents to massage their joints with meswak oil for relief. During her own pregnancy and after childbirth, she too relied on the same oil, continuing a practice passed down through her family.
Abhishek Gijare/UNDP India
When the tide enters Khardi today, it touches rows of young mangroves. Their leaves catch the morning light. Their roots hold the soil. Their presence brings back something the village once feared lost.
Vikram Yadav is the State Project Manager of ECRICC Project in Maharashtra and Vikas Gaikwad is the District Coordination Associate for Palghar District.
About ECRICC - The Enhancing Climate Resilience of India’s Coastal Communities (ECRICC) project is led by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change with support from the Green Climate Fund and UNDP India. The project supports nature-based solutions to protect and restore India’s coastlines, and to help coastal communities adapt to the realities of climate change.
