IMIS

A mangrove reafforestation project to rehabilitate degraded areas, restock denuded mudflats and transform disturbed forests into uniform stands of higher productivity was launched in October 1991 at Gazi bay. Basically three artificial regeneration techniques were employed: (a) use of propagules (seeds), (b) use of saplings (less than 1.0 m height) and (c) use of 'small trees' up-to 2.0m height. More than 7,000 propagules, saplings and 'small trees' of Rhizophora mucronata, Ceriops tagal, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Avicennia marina, Sonneratia alba, Xylocarpus granatum and Heritiera littoralis were planted/transplanted at different heights along the intertidal complex, and monitored for their growth at 14 days, 1, 2, 3 or 4 months interval, for more than a year, depending on the experiment.