““Look at the irony of it. A waterlogged ecosystem is sinking.” Naturalist E. Unnikrishnan is talking about the Myristica swamps of Kerala. These swamps are found in the Sacred Groves or evergreen forest patches and are included in the littoral and swamp forest groups. Unnikrishnan, who has written a book, Utharakeralathile Vishudhavanangal, on the sacred groves of North Kerala, explains that these are “remnants of forest vegetation, which have very limited extent and distribution and hence require urgent intervention for protection.” Found in freshwater areas, these groves harbour endemic and endangered plant species including those with medicinal properties. “They are threatened because of climate change and the drying up of water bodies that are essential to nurture the habitat.
The 55-acre Kammadam Kavu is the largest in Kerala. It is less than 10km from the sea and less than 100ft above sea level. This grove is home to a Myristica swamp over 2-3 acres. Unnikrishnan, who also belongs to the Society for Environmental Education in Kerala (SEEK), elaborates the grove is special as it has five rivulets that flow into the Kariangode Puzha or river in Kasargod.
Naturalist and architect Shyam Kumar Purvankkara offers more information. “The Myristica swamp, like a mangrove, is found inside a forest. But mangroves thrive in saline water, Myristica requires freshwater. This species has stilt roots, or knee roots that pop up above the water level to breathe creating a varied habitat for many life forms.”
