Mangroves destruction in Maldives-islands’ biggest ecocide

Save Maldives

The decision to build a domestic airport in Kulhudhuffushi wetland and mangroves and the subsequent reclamation of a significant part of the mangroves is one of the biggest environmental ecocides the Maldives has seen in recent times.

The destruction of the mangrove ecosystem commenced in October 2017, during President Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s administration despite a public outcry against this. The project has attracted criticism and attention not only from locals, civil society organizations and politicians based in the Maldives, but also from international organizations, foreign diplomats, international media and scientific and research-based organizations from abroad as well.

Following the heightened criticism, the government and the project developer, Regional Airports on various occasions highlighted and emphasized that only 30% of the mangrove ecosystem will be reclaimed and utilized for the airport construction and that the remaining part will be conserved.

The project Decision Statement from the Ministry of Environment and Energy entailed conditions to this effect such as cordoning off the remaining part of the mangroves and separating the reclaimed area from the rest of the mangroves with bund walls or sheet piles.

However, the project began and continued without any heed to the conditions of the Decision Statement or mitigation measures in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report. Work was fast-tracked to show results in time for the Presidential elections. As a result, the mangrove and reef suffered tremendously with sediments spreading to the remaining part of the mangroves and the reef. To make matters worse, the mud removed from the reclaimed area was dumped in the remaining part. Furthermore, there was poor handling of waste such as the burial of empty asphalt and tar barrels with leftover residue in the remaining part of the mangroves.

These issues were brought to the attention of the authorities on several occasions by residents of Kulhudhuffushi and civil society actors. The EPA promised to conduct a comprehensive monitoring visit to the site, including a detailed social survey regarding conserving the remaining part of the mangroves.

The EPA conducted a monitoring trip to Kulhudhuffushi in December 2018. However, the agency has not made the monitoring report or its findings public and has declined to provide details of the site visit or a copy of the report upon rerepeated requests.

It is notable that on a visit to Kulhudhuffushi during the Presidential Elections Campaign of 2018, current President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih pledged to continue the work on Kulhudhuffushi airport while speaking at a function. 

In January 2019, it is reported that work on the airport has recommenced under the current administration after the project was discontinued during the transition period. Much of the conditions of the Decision Statement remain unfulfilled and no mitigation measures have been taken to conserve the remaining part of the mangrove.

Critical significance of the mangroves

Kulhdhuffushi Kulhi wetland and mangroves along with a belt of coastal vegetation running along the eastern edge of the island are the last remaining green space in this rapidly urbanizing island.

The mangroves along with the coastal vegetation belt on the eastern part of the island (which have now been destroyed to a large extent), played a key role in Kulhudhufushi’s resilience during the Tsunami 2004.

Kulhudhuffushi mangroves consists of the highest number of true mangrove species in the Maldivesand inlcudes 7 mangrove trees and 42 mangrove associate plants, which include 7 IUCN Red List species that are decreasing globally. Migratory birds visit the island making the island one of the most biologically diverse wetland and mangrove ecosystem of Maldives.

The mangroves were widely used by women of Kulhudhuffushi for coir rope making which is an important source of livelihood of over 400 families. Before the project commenced, the women and families using this resource for their livelihoods were ordered out of the mangroves at short notice. Many of them must now resort to soaking coconut husks in discarded refrigerators and other less desirable and unsustainable means of husk preparation. The socio-economic impact of the loss of income source on local families was neither considered nor studied, when the decision to destroy the mangroves was taken by the government.  Notably, the women whose livelihoods were negatively impacted and lost their income source as a direct result of the development were not consulted, provided alternative solutions or compensated. The mangroves are also culturally significant to the community, being an essential part of the annual Mashi Maali Parade and cultural activities associated with the island.