Gujarat Declares First Biodiversity Heritage Site

Recently, Guneri village in Lakhtar tehsil, Kutch district, was designated as Gujarat’s first Biodiversity Heritage Site, safeguarding its rare inland mangrove ecosystem.

The Gujarat government made the declaration based on a recommendation from the Gujarat Biodiversity Board to ensure conservation through a structured management plan.
A local Biodiversity Management Committee, including representatives from self-governance institutions, will oversee the area’s protection, which previously lacked a formal conservation framework.
Inland mangroves are an ecological rarity, reported from only eight locations worldwide, and Guneri’s site is the last remaining one of its kind in India.
Unlike typical mangroves found in coastal sludge, Guneri’s inland mangroves thrive on limestone deposits, located 45 km from the Arabian Sea and unaffected by seawater intrusion.
The site supports a rich ecosystem, housing 20 migratory and 25 resident bird species, with ongoing efforts to train local communities and forest officials in conservation.