Mangaluru: To restore the ecological balance of the Nethravathi River ecosystem, environmentalist and founder of Vana Charitable Trust Jeeth Milan Roche has launched a large-scale mangrove plantation drive along the riverbanks.Roche’s team, assisted by 41 volunteers, planted 3,000 mangrove saplings in a single day Friday, marking the start of this year’s month-long project.Speaking to TOI, Jeeth said the team had set a target of planting 40,000 mangrove saplings this year. “Our plan is to plant up to one lakh saplings in three phases,” he said.The team planted 40,000 saplings during last year’s drive. The three-year project is supported by CSR funding from the Biocon Indian Foundation, with around Rs 10 lakh allocated for each phase.The organisers plan to plant 40,000 saplings annually, bringing the total to 1.2 lakh over three years. The strategy accounts for losses among young plants, which are vulnerable to unpredictable weather and accidental damage from fishermen navigating boats along the riverbanks.The team is focusing on expanding and protecting mangrove cover along the Nethravathi to strengthen the river’s ecosystem.
