• For the FIRST time in the world RFID Technology is used to tag and map Mangrove Trees. With the help of DP World, PlanatEarth has developed a mobile App that uses RFID Technology to tag and geolocate every remaining tree in the project area – the coastal belt of Vypeen group of Islands. The Mangroves in South India have been marked as critically endangered in the Red List of Ecosystems brought out by the (IUCN) the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Satellite imagery shows that there has been a loss in coastal flora by more than 40% in the last few decades. Hence it has come down to the point where every existing tree has to be accounted for. Due to various reasons, Mangrove trees are sometimes cut down. This method of tagging and mapping helps to keep track of every existing tree. Each tree is assigned a unique identification number and the species as well as location is registered in a table which can be accessed and viewed by the admin of the app. Within one year of the project over 50000 trees have this been tagged and numbered.

That help maximize the impact for the Mangrove Project. The first initiative is the Project MARC )Mangrove Restoration and Conservation) funded by DP World. The second initiative is the Mangrove Information Park and Mangrove Interpretation Center funded by Apollo Tyres Ltd. Under Project MARC, mangrove restoration and conservation initiatives are being done in the villages of Pallipuram, Kuzhippilly, Narackal and Kadamakudy. The Mangrove Information Park is a small mangrove forest area in Malippuram owned by the MatsyaFed of Kerala marked out as a protected area where 11 species of true mangroves are being protected.

The Mangrove Initiatives of PlanatEarth have the Triple Bottom Line of Conservation, Restoration and Community Involvement. (Read More). The Conservation efforts of course aim at creating and awareness among the public and coastal dwellers about the importance of Mangroves and need and benefits of conserving them. This coupled with the RFID tagging adds numbers to the Conservation efforts. The Restoration component has an ambitious target of planting and nurturing 120000 young mangrove plants (propagules) and ensuring their growth into trees. The third and most important component is the Community Involvement because Planatearth understands that it is crucial that the coastal community gets involved and takes ownership of the project, for the long-term sustainability of the ecosystem and future proclamation of mangroves in Ernakulam as a Community Reserve.

). In order to bring the members of the local community on board and take ownership of the project, PlanatEarth has introduced Four mangrove linked income schemes. For this Self-Help Groups have been formed and training has been imparted to the members on how to manage and earn income from these ventures. These include Apiculture, where bee boxes have been distributed to the members of the SHG and they can take incomes from the sale of honey or bees-wax. Kiosks have been provided and a group of women under the SHG have been trained to make value added products from fish and sea food. Kayak units have been installed and Kayaks have been supplied to a group of women as a means of income where visitors can also move in close proximity to mangrove groves and get a real feel about these beautiful trees without disturbing the ecosystems through this means of eco-tourism. Over 800 women are involved in the actual restoration activities through which they get monetary incentives for the collecting of mangrove propagules and nurturing them in decentralized nurseries and actual planting in the estuary banks as well as for maintenance. Milestones Achieved • Target by the end of 2027, 120000 Mangrove Trees to be planted and maintained • 50000 Trees tagged using RFID technology and Mobile App • 26000 young mangrove plants planted and being nurtured • 30000 propagules germinated and getting ready for planting • 800 women along the coastal belt of Vypeen brough under Self-Help Group and benefiting from mangrove-linked livelihood projects. • Eleven species of True Mangroves conserved and mother plants identified and daughter plants being nurtured. • Six decentralized nurseries for mangrove plants being maintained

Combating Water Hyacinth with Innovation The VMF project tackles the invasive menace of water hyacinth in the Vembanad backwaters—a plant that chokes aquatic life, disrupts navigation, and damages infrastructure.

Water hyacinth to biomass fuel Planatearth has developed an innovative method to convert water weed into biomass pellets and briquettes—a sustainable alternative to coal.

Eliminates invasive weed Replaces coal in industrial heating with eco-friendly biomass • Benefits Across Sectors: Inland fishing. Navigation and water transport .Paddy farming

Drying, Pulverizing, Compressing. This project aligns with India’s move to phase out coal and offers an environmentally responsible path forward for industries.