The World Bank is assisting Sri Lanka with the implementation of a Landscape-based Design Planning Methodology that focuses on natural resources and human activities. The Ecosystem Conservation and Management Project in collaboration with the Government’s Wildlife and Forest Conservation sectors will implement two pilot programmes in the Dry Zone and Wet Zone. In the pilot projects, planning process villages with human activities, home gardens, cities, agricultural lands, including other Government lands are identified for using areas sustainably.
The two pilot project areas in the Dry Zone Aare the Hurulu - Kaudulla - Kantale landscape and the Sinharaja Landscape. The Hurulu - Kaudulla - Kantale landscape is about 528,826.85 hectares of this around 272,557.03 hectares are protected land while the blance 256,269.82 hectares consisting of habitations agriculture lands and private Land resources.
The other landscape area for which landscape management plans are being executed is the Sinharaja Forest Reserve Zone extending in 242695.17 hectares. Out of this 150,473.07 hectares are forest cover which include protected areas while the balance 99222.10 hectares used for many other purposes. The Sinharaja World Heritage Site as well as forest reserves such as Handawal Kanda Mudali Kanda, Yakkanda, Nawkanda, Walankanda, Sooriyakanda etc. come under this particular landscape.
A spokesman (ESCAMP), the pilot project implementation body told the Daily News that this process involved identifying areas that are suitable for the different need such as areas to be conserved, restored, ecologically sensitive areas etc. Also the work programme includes development of forests, Soil erosion control, flood control and watershed conservation.
“The total forest cover at the beginning of 20th century was 80% of the land. At present, the forest cover has declined to a mere 29.2% which counts for about two million hectares. Of this area, nearly 1,335,400 hectares that include 65 Protected forests, as well as one national heritage site comes under the forest department.
The various protected areas under the wildlife conservation include approximately 13,136,440 hectares of thick forests bushland, grasslands and wetland areas.Therefore, it is imperative that those land areas are released for other purposes only after a thorough investigation has been carried out according to the specified criteria,” the ESCAMP Spokesman further said. It is learnt that the Dry Zone Landscape Designing Pilot Project includes 14 DS Divisions in the Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Trincomalee Districts. The Sinharaja Landscape Plan comprises 16 DS Divisions in the Ratnapura, Galle, Matara and Kaluthara Districts.
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