Kole Wetlands Valued at Rs 417 Crore Annually for Ecosystem Services

KOCHI: The Kole wetlands, a Ramsar site of international significance located across Thrissur and Malappuram districts in Kerala, have been valued at approximately Rs 417 crore per year for their ecosystem services, according to a recent study.

The research, conducted by the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, and the College of Forestry at Kerala Agricultural University, assessed the Total Economic Value (TEV) of the wetlands, which span 13,632 hectares. Recognized as a Ramsar site in 2002 and classified by the Union government in 2009 as a high-value biodiversity area, the Kole wetlands are vital for both ecological and economic reasons.

The study revealed that indirect services provided by the wetlands contribute significantly more to their value than direct ones. While direct use services, such as paddy cultivation, fishing, lotus farming, duck rearing, and tourism, were valued at Rs 169 crore annually, indirect services like flood storage, carbon sequestration, and groundwater recharge accounted for Rs 240 crore, or 58% of the TEV. Flood storage emerged as the largest contributor among these ecosystem services.

This valuation underscores the critical importance of preserving the Kole wetlands, which provide not only ecological benefits but also substantial economic returns.