As the world marked International Mangrove Day on July 26, 2026, hundreds of hectares of privately owned mangroves in Kerala’s largest mangrove district remain caught in policy paralysis, with farmers willing to surrender their land waiting for years for government approval. At the same time, indiscriminate destruction of mangroves continues in several parts of Kannur.The proposal of the Forest department to acquire privately owned mangrove land has remained pending with the State government, leaving conservation efforts and landowners in limbo. According to the records, 496 hectares of mangroves in Kannur are still under private ownership. The district accounts for nearly 75% (1,670 hectares) of Kerala’s mangrove cover, while only government-owned patches, covering just over 100 hectares, have been notified as reserve forests.The issue dates back to 2002, when the State government signed an agreement with the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to acquire privately owned mangrove land and transfer it to the Centre in exchange for 7,693.2257 hectares of forest land sought for rehabilitating landless tribal families in the districts of Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad, and Wayanad. The agreement is yet to be implemented.Rebuild Kerala InitiativeEarlier, under the Rebuild Kerala Initiative, the State had accorded administrative sanction for acquiring 1,200 hectares of mangrove land across Kerala. Initially, 19 landowners in Kannur came forward and agreed to surrender their land. In the following years, the number of private mangrove landowners willing to surrender their land rose to 284. However, the acquisition process is yet to begin.Farmers’ representatives said the prolonged delay had left many families in crisis. “We agreed to give our land for conservation because it benefits society. But many families depend on these properties for their livelihood. We cannot develop the land, cultivate it freely, or even receive compensation. Successive governments have promised a solution, but nothing has happened,” said T.T. Suresh, a farmer who owns land in Ezhome panchayat and was the first landowner to volunteer his land for acquisition by the Forest department.He said farmers had waited for years after giving their consent. Governments changed, but the decision never came. “ If society wants these mangroves to be protected for public good, the government should compensate the owners. Otherwise, people who depend on these lands for their livelihood will continue to suffer,” he added.While many landowners have agreed to abide by the law, mangrove forests have been destroyed in many places for various activities. Researchers found that, over the past 30 years, the mangrove cover had shrunk from 24 sq. km to 12.47 sq. km.A recent study titled ‘Geographical Appraisal of Mangrove Ecosystem for its Conservation and Development’ by researcher M. Remya, covering Kannur’s coastal region, found that the district’s mangrove cover had dwindled drastically between 1991 and 2021.Mapping of mangrovesShe said the research, the first administrative division-wise mapping of mangroves in the district covering the Kannur Corporation, four municipalities, and 21 grama panchayats, documented 13 mangrove species, including four rare species, and attributed much of the decline to urbanisation, shrimp farming, industrial pollution, land reclamation, and infrastructure projects.She said the study found that around 80% of the district’s mangrove areas are on privately owned land, posing a significant challenge to conservation.“Many landowners consider mangroves economically unproductive because they spread naturally and restrict other land uses, leading to illegal felling in several locations,” Ms. Remya said. She proposed that the government acquire these lands and recommended panchayat-level conservation plans, species-specific afforestation programmes, greater use of the employment guarantee scheme for mangrove restoration, and improved mapping and monitoring by the government to protect mangroves.She further pointed out that no comprehensive district-wide base map of Kannur’s mangroves had previously existed, making scientific conservation planning difficult.Chief Conservator of Forests (Northern Circle) B.N. Anjankumar said the proposal remains pending with the government. “We are hopeful that approval will come in the future,” he added.Mr. Anjankumar said several farmers were actively pursuing the proposal and had met the Forest Minister and approached the Chief Minister’s Office in the past, seeking its approval.He added that acquisition was one of the few practical ways to ensure the permanent conservation of privately owned mangroves as the Forest department has limited legal control over such areas.