Goa, June 6 -- The Goa State Environment Department has proposed a new GIS-based assessment to accurately evaluate the state's mangrove cover, addressing inconsistencies in existing data and identifying areas for potential expansion. Announced on World Environment Day 2025, the Mangrove Management Plan incorporates advanced technologies such as UAV-based LiDAR mapping alongside community participation to create precise and up-to-date maps of mangrove regions.

Goa's mangrove cover was initially estimated at 20 square kilometers in 1983 and increased to 26 square kilometers through afforestation and natural regeneration efforts by the Forest Department. However, a 2016 study by the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM)...