Keralam’s tropical riparian evergreen forests in the southern Western Ghats have lost 83% of their area over the past century, a decline that places them on a trajectory toward collapse within the next 20 to 40 years. The loss, driven by dam construction, invasive plantations and escalating climate extremes, has earned the habitats a Critically Endangered status under IUCN criteria. Other irreplaceable ecosystems in the state – including myristica swamps, high‑altitude shola‑grassland mosaics and coastal mangroves – face similar threats from rapid urban expansion and rising sea levels.
In response, the Kerala State Biodiversity Board has launched the first Indian state Red List Assessment of Ecosystems (RLE). Funded by KSBB, the one‑year project is being carried out jointly by the Kerala Forest Research Institute and the Centre for Ecology, Taxonomy, Conservation and Climate Change at MES Asmabi College. The team, led by Dr. Amitha Bachan K.H. and Dr. Deepu Sivadas, will systematically evaluate collapse risks across all 14 districts, covering high‑altitude summits, densely populated midlands and vulnerable coastal stretches.
KSBB chairperson Dr. N. Anil Kumar says the goal is to build strong empirical evidence of environmental degradation through a comprehensive scientific study that will identify both climate‑driven and human‑induced threats. The assessment will use the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems framework to establish a baseline of historical loss, habitat fragmentation and hydrological disruption, particularly for key landscapes such as the Periyar river basin.
The project’s findings will produce a Risk Register, an Ecosystem Typology Atlas and ecorestoration priority maps, which will be integrated into state planning portals. By providing detailed spatial intelligence to local Biodiversity Management Committees and panchayats, the initiative aims to strengthen natural barriers against floods and landslides, guide sustainable development and implement nature‑based climate adaptation strategies tailored to each landscape. The work underpins Kerala’s vision of becoming India’s most biodiversity‑friendly state through community‑led restoration and climate resilience across all major ecosystems.
