Kanchipuram District. In Villupuram District, the Marakkanam reserve forest includes the three forest areas of Marakkanam, Kurumpuram, and Agaram. The sacred grove of Marakkanam preserves a section of evergreen closed canopy forest. Kurumpuram forest (12º4’N-79º44’E) was designated a reserve forest in 1960, but has suffered degradation from timber poaching, firewood harvesting, and hunting wild animals. Several other temple groves in the area around Puducherry, including Puthupet, Pillaichavadi, Mudaliarchavadi, and Kottakarai, preserve small enclaves of forest. The Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary protects a 17.26 km2 enclave of dry evergreen forest, as well as tidal wetlands and mangroves. Other coastal preserves in the region include Vettangudi Bird Sanctuary (30 km2) in Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu, Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary (160 km2) on Pulicat Lake in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, and Pichavaram reserve in Cuddalore district. Since the 1973, the Auroville Foundation has undertaken restoration of dry evergreen forest at Pitchandikulam in Auroville, near Pondicherry. The forest covers 28 ha (70 acres), and includes many native plants collected from nearby remnant forests and propagated in their nursery. In 2003 the foundation established a 14 ha (35 acre) forest and resource centre at Nadukuppam, near Marakkanam, with both dry evergreen forest species and various agro-forestry crops. External links Changing climate threatens sacred groves, Earth Journalism Network. References Coromandel Coast Ecoregions of India Environment of Tamil Nadu . Indomalayan ecoregions Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests