Apple revealed a new initiative in the Maharashtra district of Raigad on Friday to safeguard mangroves and local livelihoods.
The tech behemoth gave the Applied Environmental Research Foundation (AERF) a grant to collaborate with the local community to protect a 2,400-hectare mangrove forest in the area, which acts as an important barrier against the most dangerous effects of climate change.
According to the corporation, through the collaboration, AERF will enter into preservation agreements with local community members, offering assistance in return for preserving and restoring the mangroves on their land.
The new partnership in India builds on this momentum by assisting a community in economically benefiting from the revival of mangrove forests that protect against the worst consequences of climate change, stated Lisa Jackson, Vice President of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives at Apple.
The partnership’s goal is to assist in transitioning the local economy to one that is dependent on keeping mangroves intact and healthy. AERF will also work with Conservation International to validate the environmental advantages of mangroves, taking into account the carbon sequestered in both the trees and the soil.
Mangroves act as carbon sinks, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in their soil, plants, and other sediments, in addition to safeguarding coastal communities from climatic changes such as the unpredictable monsoons and rising tides that endanger the Raigad district.
While mangrove preservation issues are varied and unique to each location, opportunities abound in their project area, said Dr. Archana Godbole, Director of AERF. Training young, enthusiastic teams as well as local communities for blue carbon will undoubtedly help them go a long way toward mangrove preservation in this thriving coastal area along the Arabian Sea, Godbole added.
About Applied Environmental Research Foundation (AERF)
The Applied Environmental Research Foundation (AERF) is a registered non-governmental organization that intends to illustrate biological diversity conservation through the active involvement of indigenous communities combined with the use of research techniques. Since its inception in 1994, AERF has worked to bridge the gap between conservation research and its application in sustainable development practices. The AERF believes that establishing this link would benefit ecosystem development and poverty alleviation efforts.
For more information, visit https://www.aerfindia.org/
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