Aquatic ecosystems hold great potential to serve a diverse set of uses from recreation and research, to ground water recharge.   They are also important habitats for a large number of residents and migratory water birds.   Aquatic ecosystems are continuously deteriorating.

Owing to the various factors such as pollution, siltation, tourism and uncontrolled growth of weeds, the sustainable management of these ecosystems is of prime importance from the point of biodiversity conservation.   This paper will highlight case studies of Chilika lagoon, River Noyyal and Point Calimere lagoon.

To save this unique ecosystem a number of ameliorating measures were taken in the past three years, which included opening of a new mouth to improve the salinity and tidal flux of the lagoon.     The improvement of communication network was also one of the major activities taken up in the surrounding villages.   There were many other allied activities started which included the fishery resource development that was depleting due to the anthropogenic activities and also the upliftment of the economic condition of the thickly populated peripheral villages.   Awareness Centre is being developed in the Satpada area to promote environmental education and awareness amongst the surrounding schools and peripheral villages through Centre for Environment Education.   A Centre for Wetland management was developed to facilitate the studies and research in the filed of Limnology, marine biology, hydrology, coastal influence on the lagoon, floristic and faunistic study, weed analysis, ecological and mathematical modelling, advanced oceanographic and hydrological studies like sediment transport, wave climate, tidal influence, lake bathymetry, hydrographic survey, weed dynamics, meteorological studies.   The centre would provide an excellent insitu advanced research facility in the above field.

Besides its programme in the Chilika, CEE has been working with water ecosystems in Tamil Nadu as well.   The CEE Tirupur Field Office is working on creating awareness to save the Noyyal River from Industrial pollution and municipal dumping.   On the East Coast of Tamil Nadu, CEE is working in Point Calimere to Campaign for a safe habitat from migratory birds visiting the Point Calimere Sanctuary in Nagapattinam District at the mouth of the River Cauvery.

Centre for Environment Education,
Bangalore, Karnataka, India.