Apple partners with local NGO to protect Raigad's Mangrove forests

Since early 2022, Apple has made a series of announcements on eco-friendly initiatives taken for manufacturing its devices at supplier units across the world and also awarded grants to developing nations to produce affordable electricity for the citizens.

In the latest move, Apple has joined hands with the Applied Environmental Research Foundation (AERF) in India for protection of large 2,500 acres of Mangrove forest in Raigad, Maharashtra.

Apple has announced grant to AERF to help the local community to sustain their livlihood whilst practicising Mangrove conservation efforts.

“The fight against climate change is a fight for the communities around the world whose lives and livelihoods are most threatened by the crisis, and that’s where we’ve focused our work — from Colombia to Kenya to the Philippines. Our new partnership in India continues this momentum, helping a community benefit economically from the restoration of the mangrove forests that protect against the worst impacts of climate change,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives.

Protecting Mangrove forests have a lot of benefits, not just environmental aspect, but also economically for the fishermen and other communities living in those regions.

Mangroves are known as natural bio shields and they lessen damage to coastal areas during the tsunamis and cyclones, which by the way have increased in the recent past in India. Add to that, they greatly help in stopping sand erosion.

Also, Mangrove forests act as a great carbon sink, which again helps in slowing the climate change.

Fisherman of Raigad near Mangrove forest. Credit: Apple

Also, Mangrove forests are a great habitat and source of nourishment not just for many varieties of fish, but also for honey bees. With eco-friendly sustainable practices, local coastal communities can make good earnings from fishing and apiculture for several years to come. Also, with help of NGOs and local government agencies, mangrove forests can be developed as an eco-tourism hub creating more avenues to generate income.

Must read | Rejuvenating the coastal bioshields

“To collaborate with Apple and Conservation International is a great opportunity to explore how mangrove conservation and community benefits can go hand in hand. Though mangrove conservation issues are diverse and different in each place, here in our project area, opportunities are also many. Training our young, enthusiastic team as well as local communities for blue carbon will surely help us travel a long way to achieve mangrove conservation in this vibrant coastal area along the Arabian Sea,” said Dr. Archana Godbole, director of AERF.
Besides Raigad, Apple as part of the Earth Day 2018 Give Back campaign, the company collaborated with Conservation International to protect a 27,000-acre mangrove forest in Cispatá Bay on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. Some of the learnings from this project will also be replicated by AERF in Raigad.

In addition to protecting the existing mangroves in the area, Apple's grant supports the restoration of mangroves across a 50-hectare area where they have degraded, as well as the purchase and distribution of portable bio-stoves that allow people to cook without cutting down mangroves for firewood, the company said.

In a related development, Apple earlier in the week, announced to incorporate newer eco-friendly practices in terms of recycling old devices and manufacturing new ones with less impact on the environment.

Read more | Apple announces new eco-friendly production measures

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