More than 500 mangrove saplings were planted along the Cortalim causeway on the Vasco Highway as part of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman’s “Come Let’s Man-Groove” initiative.
It aimed to restore and protect the Zuari River’s coastline in Cortalim, Goa, India, in observance of the World Day for Mangrove Conservation.
The early morning drive was organized by St. Joseph Vaz College, Cortalim, in partnership with One Earth Foundation, Chicalim Youth Farmers Club (CYFC), Goencho Ekvott, and Nisarga Nature Club, with support from the Diocesan Commission for Ecology and the Biodiversity Management Committee of VP Sancoale.
The project, led by the college’s Department of Botany under Rev. Dr. Bolmax Pereira, has been running for four years.
“Goencho Ekvott has for the past four years associated itself with the sincere efforts of St Joseph Vaz College… in planting mangrove saplings at various locations on the banks of the Zuari river,” said Orville Dourado Rodrigues, founder of Goencho Ekvott.
He described it as “a very important exercise” that helps safeguard coastlines and acts as “powerful carbon sinks.”
Architect Tallulah Dsilva, a returning volunteer, called the experience “such a beautiful experience to be able to restore Goa’s riverine edges with mangroves, our safeguard against climate change,” while first-time participant Ahaana Rao said it was “a truly enriching experience” that reconnected her with the environment.
CYFC treasurer Alisha Pereira said the event “significantly deepened our understanding of the critical role mangroves play in our ecosystem.”
At the same time, One Earth Foundation’s Ferdin Sylvestre underscored that “mangroves are the first line of defence against the climate change impacts of cyclones, storm surge waves, sea level rise, and soil erosion.”
Fr. Pereira praised the collective effort, saying the initiative “stands as a testament to collective community action in preserving Goa’s vital coastal ecosystems… We will keep planting mangroves as long as we can.”
