Gujarat state has the longest coastline and stands second in mangrove area coverage among all the states of the country. Moreover, recent incidents of tsunami has strengthened the importance of mangroves as a shelterbelt which reduce the impact. This publication provides the insight into the history of mangrove forests, their present status as well as various legal frame works for protection and will help in devising the course of action for future management.

SFR 2003 comprises of seven chapters and a number of annexures. The introductory chapter gives historical information, highlights important features of the report, describes various concepts and explains several important terms used in this report. The chapter on forest cover describes methodology and results of forest cover assessment.