The City Council of Kulhudhuffushi, Haa Dhaalu Atoll, approved the decision to conserve a mangrove area in the southern area of the island, 'kuda kulhi', and establish a nature park.
The council had proposed the establishment of the nature park as part of its development agenda 2020 as an initiative to protect the terrestrial and marine biodiversity of the island.
With the approval of the decision, the council plans to go ahead with conducting research into the development and design of the park as per the development agenda.
The council estimates that the move will boost local tourism in Kulhudhuffushi and increase the number of tourists that visit the island.
A sizeable portion of Kulhudhuffushi's mangroves were already destroyed for development purposes, namely the establishment of a domestic airport on the island.
Social media activists and environmentalists expressed discontent over the Airport project, which resulted in the reclamation of 13 hectares of mangrove wetland as well as six hectares from the island's lagoon.
Among the environmental consequences of this destruction is the exacerbation of flooding in Kulgudhuffushi, as mangrove areas are known to act as a natural buffer against such events.
The domestic airport was inaugurated by former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom on September 22, 2018 while regular operations commenced during the incumbent administration on August 9, 2019.
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