Battling various challenges for over 100 million years, areas with relic jurassic forests continue to thrive inside Goa's Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary. These unique Myristica swamp ecosystem can be found in Talauli, Bhati, in the Sanguem district of the coastal state. This sanctuary is home to this swamp that is endemic to the Western Ghats. Besides, these swamps can also be spotted in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
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Supporting the global need to reduce carbon pollution, the Myristica swamp ecosystem owns a huge amount of carbon storage capacity while performing a major role in maintaining a steady streamflow. Reportedly, these swamp vegetation can be spotted in Barazan and Suryagal areas of Bhati. Categorised as ecologically fragile areas, the Myristica swamps are deemed to be unique evergreen areas. Notably, in the year 1999, the part of the Myristica swamp in Talauli was included in the Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary.
However, these patches of barren forests were put at risk of destruction by the administration by permitting to continue the mining work in the adjoining areas. But with the order passed by the Supreme Court's Centrally Empowered Committee on November 7, 2003, the state government was made to stop even the removal of grass from the sanctuaries. This order eventually helped in retaining the greenery of the swamp vegetation.
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After retaining water during the monsoon season, these trees gradually release the same in the lean seasons. Apart from this, these ecosystems house thousands of species of fauna and flora. With the help of knee roots and stilt roots, the forest has stood the test of time by evolving to survive in inundated swamps as well. The stilt roots that crop out of the main trunk provide mechanical support to the tree in the soft and unstable ground, while the knee roots emerging from the soil are useful for exchanging gases. It is upon the administration now to take up special conservation efforts to save this evergreen forest.
With inputs from the Times of India
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