Forest Reserve Under Threat

by Ifham Nizam

• Eco System and Water Resources Forests provide direct and indirect ecosystem services that help sustain human lives
• Most ancient village cascade systems have not been revived to function to their maximum capacity
• Ongoing destruction happening within the forest reserves of Wilpattu forest complex have had severe detrimental impacts on Sri Lanka’s natural heritage
• Only Wilpattu has villus consisting of both salt water as well as fresh water, making it especially unique.
• Our natural heritage, including our forests and wildlife, is what makes us who we are and it should be protected

The Coalition which comprises of more than 20 environmental organisations stressed that as these forest lands are contiguous to protected areas managed by the Forest Department and DWC, such a change in jurisdiction would smoothen the process of conservation and management of the overall forest cover. They had already submitted proposals to government to look into the matter and to take prompt action.

Eco System and Water Resources Forests provide direct and indirect ecosystem services that help sustain human lives. Natural forests directly provide food, water, medicine, timber and raw material for industry -clothing, paper, and construction- while supporting many processes that are required for the endurance of all life. Forest ecosystem services could be categorized as provisioning, supportive, regulating and cultural services.

Provisioning Services are ecosystem services that describe the material and energy outputs from ecosystems. They include food, water, air and other resources. Regulating Services are the services that ecosystems provide by acting as regulators eg. regulating the quality of air, regulating atmospheric carbon through sequestration and soil or by providing flood and disease control. Supporting services include habitats and diversity maintenance while cultural services include recreation, aesthetic appreciation and spiritual experience associated with forests among other things.

Among all, replenishment of groundwater is one of the key ecosystem services that sustain life on earth. Forests facilitate and regulate water interception and infiltration, which replenishes the groundwater and form rivers. Retaining water received through rainfall for the dry period is a service that helps humans to avoid droughts.

Nutrient cycling processes that take place within forests decomposes waste and forms soil supporting the flora. The flora support pollination as well as contribute to pest and disease control. Two of the main sources required for the generation of energy for humans are also derived from forests which are bio mass and water.

Agriculture cannot sustain without the genetic resources supplied by the forests. The aesthetic value of a forested area and its educational importance has enabled them to be of service as ecotourism destinations generating revenue for many countries in the world.

Recommendations

Recommendations to curtail further deforestation and for protection of water resources:-

1. Strict enforcement of existing environmental laws The Forest Ordinance, Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance and the National Environment Act have sufficient provision for the protection of the country’s environment. If these laws are duly enforced by government authorities the remaining forest cover can be protected.

2. Protection of major catchment areas and riverine forests, strict regulations for development projects/activities within such areas must be maintained to ensure that forests capture rainwater to filter down to river systems and reservoirs.

3. Connection of fragmented forest areas through jungle corridors as a method of conservation, identifying suitable forested areas to function as corridors between major habitats of wildlife and declaring them as protected areas will preserve the remaining fragmented forest patches and reduce human-elephant conflict.

4. Rehabilitation of cascade systems

Most ancient village cascade systems have not been revived to function to their maximum capacity. Tanks could be desilted, invasive species removed and channels cleared to maintain optimum function. This will not only benefit villages but also the freshwater ecosystems.

5. Mahaweli, LRC, Plantation Corporation forest lands to be taken over by FD or DWC. As these forest land are contiguous to protected areas managed by the FD and DWC, such a change in jurisdiction would smoothen the process of conservation and management of the overall forest cover.

6. Temple lands to be protected from development activities Forested temple land are frequently being utilised for various development projects including cultivation often without any environmental assessment. Laws pertaining to temple land or Viharagam/Dewalagam need to be regulated.

7. Incorporating strategic planning methods to avoid unnecessary clearing of forests. An increasing number of development projects that do not incorporate conservation measures for existing forest cover haphazardly cause deforestation. Proper planning and project approval processes that are in keeping with the strategic environmental assessments and National Conservation Review should be adhered to.

Meanwhile, they also said that the ongoing destruction happening within the forest reserves of Wilpattu forest complex have had severe detrimental impacts on Sri Lanka’s natural heritage. Sri Lanka is an island with a rich natural heritage unparalleled in most countries.

“Our unique terrain and geographic location on the planet has gifted us with a climate unrivalled by most, allowing two monsoon seasons which allows the island’s farmers to grow two yields in a year, the rains keeping our plentiful rivers, lakes and reservoirs brimming to the full. In the past our island was self-sustainable, and once was even known to have been the main exporter of rice to the East as our stocks were plentiful,” a document put forward by a group environmentalists said.

It further said: “Sadly this is not the case anymore. Sri Lanka is suffering from one of the worst droughts ever recorded. We have not received the monsoon rains in the second half of 2016 and meteorologists are concerned we may not receive the next monsoon rains either. This would be disastrous for our agriculture and paddy farmers. Some experts predict a severe food and water shortage is imminent. Why has all this change taken place? Some point at global warming and climate change.

Others are more introspective and are looking at what changes are taking place on Sri Lanka’s soil at the present time. It is hard to miss the ongoing large scale environmental destruction. Forests are being cleared in Sri Lanka at a rate never seen before. “We all know that forests are our lifeblood. Forests are essential for rain. “

The Wilpattu forest complex is Sri Lanka’s largest forest complex, consisting of nine separately named forest reserves, and is an especially unique eco-system full of villu or natural pools which make this forest area a heaven for wildlife providing them a refuge from the area’s consistently dry climate. There are only two forest complexes in Sri Lanka that have this unique characteristic of containing villu.

Unique villus

Only Wilpattu has villus consisting of both salt water as well as fresh water, making it especially unique. Such forest complexes are rare in the whole world, so we are indeed privileged to have Wilpattu on Sri Lankan soil.

If we lose Wilpattu, we would be losing an entire eco-system that is considered most rare in the world, as well as all the endemic species and wildlife that call it home including elephant, leopard, bear, sambur as well as many other species. All this is at stake, with the ongoing threat of deforestation occurring within the Wilpattu forest complex. From the year 2009, several illegal settlement projects, aided by international aid organisations, have encroached into the Wilpattu forest complex.

To date over 3,000 acres of pristine forest have been lost to illegal forest clearing for these settlements. The most recent forest clearing has occurred inside the Vilaththaikulam forest, which was declared a forest reserve on  June 10,2012 under the gazette number 1759/2. Clearing a declared forest reserve is illegal therefore the operations that are going ahead  are in fact illegal and punishable by law.

The Wilpattu forest complex is made up of nine separately named forest reserves: 1. Wilpattu National Park 2. Wilpattu North Sanctuary 3. Thabbova Sanctuary 4. Marichchukkadai – Karadikulli (Kallaru) Forest Reserve 5. Veppal Forest Reserve 6. Vilatthaikulam Forest Reserve 7. Mavillu Forest Reserve 8. Periyamarippu Forest Reserve 9. Veerakkuli Cholai – Eluwankulam Forest Reserve. Even though Wilpattu forest complex is made up of several separately named forest reserves, one must understand that animals do not understand human boundaries and for the wildlife that lives within this forest complex and the biodiversity that exists within it, this is one single forest land.

There is sometimes misleading information being provided, claiming that it is not in fact Wilpattu forest that is being cleared. Even though the clearing is not occurring within the Wilpattu National Park borders, the deforestation is in fact occurring in the adjacent forests which are protected forest reserves that are part of the Wilpattu forest complex and therefore clearing of these lands are illegal under the Forest Conservation Ordinance and National Environmental Act. It is illegal to clear protected forest reserves: The forest clearing for the settlements began in Wilpattu Northern Sanctuary in 2009/10 and then moved to Kallaru forest reserve. The most recent destruction estimated to be over 700 acres of clearing of virgin forest land is in the area of Vilatthaikulam Forest Reserve, which was declared a protected Forest Reserve on June 10, 2012 under the gazette number 1759/2, under the Forest Conservation Ordinance. It is illegal to clear protected forest reserves without following due procedure.

This requires a process of the area being converted to a development zone through a new gazette notification which must be approved by parliament. In this case, it is the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and the Environment who must make this request in parliament. This process has not been followed during any time of the deforestation that has occurred inside the Wilpattu forest reserve.

Sri Lanka’s natural heritage belongs to all Sri Lankans. It is not someone’s personal property to do what they wish with it. Our natural heritage, including our forests and wildlife, is what makes us who we are and it should be protected at all costs for the people of today and for future generations. There have been no historical human settlements within the Wilpattu forest complex: It is being argued that, the resistance to the settlement projects being carried out inside Wilpattu forest complex, is to do with racial discrimination against the Muslim communities and that these people who are being ‘re-settled’ have lived on this land in the past.

Source – 17/02/2017, The Sunday Leader, See more at -http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2017/02/05/forest-reserve-under-threat/

Large Scale Illegal Gem Mining In Matale

by Janaka Wijegunatillake 

• Some people have also begun to excavate land in forest reserves in the area in search for gems
• Paying just Rs. 225,000 for a consignment of gem rich earth worth millions of rupees has become a blessing for these criminals
• This illegal gem mining that is being carried out with the help and blessings of politicos has a long history

During a recent visit to the area, the scale of the gem mining racket was clearly visible and the racket continues despite such activities being banned.

Almost all the paddy fields in the Raththota Kaluganga area have become gem mines. The environment has been severely damaged as a result of the gem mining activities, which has some political backing.

A politician in the area, Rohini Kumari Wijerathna, is said to be involved in the racket and has obtained clearance to operate the large scale gem mining.

Some people have also begun to excavate land in forest reserves in the area in search for gems, sources said. The damage to state land is being carried out with the support of a government institution. Even when a complaint is made regarding this scam, these officials have adopted a clever strategy of delaying their investigations as long as possible to allow the racketeers to complete their illegal gem mining. This was clearly seen in a recent raid carried out on January29 in Ellewela.

On the night of January 29, a group of racketeers had carried out illegal gem mining within the Ellewela Ela forest reserve by using heavy machinery, taking out a large portion of earth to be transported to another location.

According to residents in the area, the illegal activity had been carried out while two policemen and several employees of the Gem Corporation had been present on the spot. After allowing the racketeers to remove the earth throughout the night, officials had ‘raided’ the location and imposed a Rs. 225,000 fine on the use of the heavy machinery and for the excavation of earth. According to residents in the area, paying just Rs. 225,000 for a consignment of gem rich earth worth millions of rupees has become a blessing for these criminals.

According to sources, three individuals, identified as Nilan, Rohitha and Buru Manju, were accused of being involved in the racket. They are notorious for having the backing of government officials to excavate the earth.

At present the gems could only be found in these forest reserves and the lands that have been acquired to build roads. Hence these racketeers have adopted such shrewd ways to bypass the law, in order to carry out gem mining inside these forest reserves during night time.

According to an officer attached to the Laggala police station, an individual arrested on the charge of carrying out illegal gem mining could be produced before a court and be released after paying a fine of Rs. 10,000.

According to the law, a person who is caught for mining gems inside a forest reserve cannot be fined by the Gem Corporation. Hence, by releasing the suspects and their plunder after imposing a fine does not come under the authority of the corporation. Since this procedure is contrary to the law, the officer in charge of the Laggala area in the Irrigations Department had filed complaints with the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau and the Laggala police regarding the matter under No. 0201341 and 7 CIB 209/236/31/01/2017 respectively.

This illegal gem mining that is being carried out with the help and blessings of politicos has a long history. When Wijerathna Banda, father of Member of Parliament of Matale district Rohini Kumari Wijerathna, represented the area, illegal gem mining had been carried out throughout the entire main road near the Kalu Ganga. The environmental damage which had commenced since then is being carried out non-stop expanding into all the areas in the region. They have commonly relied on the tactic of getting a trivial fine for a massive plunder with the help of government officials.

This has caused environmental damage of staggering proportions to the Laggala area. There is no doubt that the mineral resources on earth could be used to fulfill the necessities of the people.

But that should only be done according to the laws by minimizing the damage caused to the environment. If not, as the story of the golden swam ends, we all would also end up with absolutely nothing.

Source- 17/02/2017,The Sunday Leader/Sse more at – http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2017/02/12/large-scale-illegal-gem-mining-in-matale/