The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has planted 20,000 mangrove seedlings of five species along the Buckingham Canal to strengthen Chennai's coastal ecosystem. This is the latest phase of a step-by-step programme to create a mangrove green belt in the district. In 2024-25, about 12,500 seedlings of six species were planted over 20 hectares, and in the second phase around 5,000 saplings were planted at the Battle of Adyar Island in the Adyar River estuary. The aim is to rebuild Chennai's mangrove cover as a living coastal bioshield that protects the shoreline, supports biodiversity and improves resilience to cyclones and sea-level rise.