Mangrove Planting Initiative - Sundarbans

The Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest, faces harsh environmental threats—from constant boat activity to destructive cyclones. These challenges have historically made mangrove plantation efforts difficult, with up to a 70% failure rate. Recognising this, Global Social India adopted a careful, community-focused strategy to restore this fragile ecosystem.

Our Journey

In 2023, the first plantation phase began at G-Plot, one of the most cyclone-prone islands in the Sundarbans. Partnering with local fishermen, schools, and community leaders, 300 saplings were planted and monitored by a dedicated caretaker. The success exceeded expectations, inspiring a second round of 300 saplings later that year.

Project Partner

Project GreenRoots supports this initiative by monitoring mangrove health through Landsat satellite imagery on Google Earth Engine (GEE), analysing vegetation indices and long-term trends to guide plantation decisions. The project has earned global recognition, including a spot on the Cloudera Top 5 Environmental Models and a Launchology AI for Change Winner.

Overcoming Setbacks

The year 2024 brought two major cyclones—Remal and Dana—which damaged nurseries and delayed planting. To ensure long-term sustainability, we built our own mangrove nursery capable of growing 1,000–1,500 saplings. Meanwhile, the initial 600 plants survived the storms, proving the resilience of our approach.

In January 2025, planting resumed with 1300 new saplings from our nursery. With strong community participation, adaptive planning, and proven resilience, we are now expanding our nursery and exploring cyclone-resistant planting models. Global Social India remains committed to protecting the Sundarbans—one sapling, one community, and one season at a time.