Do we really care about the air we breathe?

Air pollution is currently acknowledged as a threat to public health in most developed and developing countries in the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) air pollution is identified as one of the largest global health risks, causing approximately seven million deaths every year.
This threat has been recognized due to evaluations conducted to measure the air quality levels as well as the extent of the pollution. However, in Sri Lanka such significance is not attached to counteract the harmful effects of air pollution, which is increasingly becoming a great menace to the country.
Therefore, at present, based on these regrettable conditions, creating awareness on how air pollution has become a national threat as well as a public health hazard to the country, has taken precedence as a paramount concern.
Issues with vehicles and traffic congestion
Speaking to Ceylon Today on this issue Emeritus Professor of Chemistry, University of Peradeniya and Visiting Senior Professor of Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Prof. O.A. Ileperuma, shared his expert opinion. He said: “Air pollution is a serious problem here due to the increasing number of vehicles and also traffic congestion as there is more pollution from vehicles when they move slowly due to traffic conditions. In addition due to our energy demands we are now using coal and diesel to generate 50% of our energy. We are burning coal at Norochcholai to generate power which makes the situation worse.”
“In response to this in 1998 when President Premadasa was in power, he had plan called the Clean Air Action plan to provide clean air for Colombo by the year 2008. There were 47 steps proposed but only three have been implemented successfully. These three are reducing the sulphur content in diesel, removing lead from petrol and air quality monitoring.”
According to the Central Environment Authority (CEA) based on the available records regarding the air quality monitoring status in Sri Lanka till 2012, the values of ambient Particle Pollution, Particulate Matter (PM)-10 level in Colombo has constantly exceeded the WHO guideline value.

Need to repair air quality stations
The Professor discussed about the air quality stations which enable this process of monitoring the air quality levels in Sri Lanka. He said that with the assistance of the World Bank these stations had been installed back in 1996. These included a peak station at the Colombo Fort Railway Station and a background one at the premises of the Department of Meteorology in Bauddhaloka Mawatha.
Unfortunately the air quality levels in the country cannot be measured by these stations at present, as they have been dilapidated and are currently in disrepair. According to Prof. Ileperuma these stations have only worked till 2003 and from that year onwards there has been a general lack of awareness about the air quality level in Sri Lanka. The only working air quality monitoring station is a mobile one which can be carried, to be used before starting any major industry or constructions.

Assurance of future reparations
However, the Chairman of the CEA Prof. Lal Mervin Dharmasiri told Ceylon Today that the necessary equipment has now been purchased to repair the peak air station at the Colombo Fort Railway Station.
“Though I cannot give the exact time I believe that, we will be able to repair this station within a month or so. We can also fix the LED panel so that it can properly display what the values are. So if the air quality is below the internationally accepted guideline value, the light will be green. If the light is red that means the air quality level is at a dangerous level. So after this particular station is fixed, the public will be able to easily get an idea about the air quality level.”
Air pollution in Kandy
According to various researches conducted, the level of pollution in Kandy is even higher than that of Colombo. As mentioned in a research work by Prof. Ileperuma and Dr. T.L.J.C. Siritunga on Air Pollution and Health published by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in Colombo, “recent results show that the City of Kandy is very heavily polluted and the level of air pollution has reached dangerous levels. The degree of air pollution in Kandy is higher than in Colombo because Kandy is situated in a valley between two mountain ranges. In Colombo, more pollutants are formed but they get dispersed owing to the flat terrain and due to the action of the sea breeze.”
Prof. Ileperuma said that he has been personally been involved with monitoring the air quality in Kandy from 2000-2005. He said that when comparing the level of air pollution of the two cities, it was discovered that air pollution in Kandy is two to three times higher than that of Colombo.

Diesel fumes can cause cancer
In 2012 the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the WHO announced that they have reclassified diesel exhaust as a definite carcinogen, putting it in number one category.
“The fumes from diesel carry cancer causing compounds. There is definite evidence that diesel fumes can cause cancer,” the Professor also added.
Fine particles can be  threatening
Prof.Ileperuma also said that the major air pollutants are emitted from factories and power plants. One of these pollutants is fine particles. He said that these cannot even be seen by the naked eye, can easily go into the lungs and can cause asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia and other respiratory diseases.
Blast at the Salawa Army Camp
The Professor described the blast at the Salawa Army Camp in detail and said that due to this explosion a large amount of debris will go into the atmosphere in the form of fine particles. So, generally, these are very similar to the ones produced by motor vehicles due to air pollution, but they are very concentrated and occur on a large scale. However, he assured that natural removal mechanisms will be operated by the environment, so that due to the gravity and the rain these fine particles will definitely come down. “I recommend wearing a face mask in such a situation,” he added.
Passive smoking
Prof.Ileperuma also undermined the popular notion of passive smoking being more dangerous than the smoker himself by saying, “it is the particles you find inside the smoker; it is only the vapours that go into the passive smokers. Passive smoking is however very harmful for pregnant women and children.”
Dangers posed by COPD
The Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is one of the most dangerous diseases, which usually occurs in people who are heavy smokers, due to continuous smoking for 10-20 years. However, the Professor said that the situation has turned dire at present as there were some cases reported even among school girls in Kandy because of the air pollution due to heavy traffic.
“Some children as young as 12 years are getting this and it is very likely it is due to the air pollution. Our lungs generally grow till we are about 15 years of age. When children are exposed to air pollution the lung tissues get damaged and after that they do not recover. As a result of this, they have to be in medication, probably, throughout their life. So this is a very serious situation,” he added.

Proposed solutions
The Professor said that the issue with traffic congestion can actually be tackled. He proposed that when there is a lot of traffic he would recommend people to use a face mask with an activated carbon filter.
He also said that he had already proposed to make the two roads leading to Peradeniya in Kandy one way.
“Opening the road in front of the Sri Dalada Maligawa can improve the public transport system. Also long distance buses should not come to the city, they should start from the suburbs. The government can also take sufficient measures to control the number of three-wheelers in the country because they not only heavily contribute to traffic congestion but are also highly polluting.”
Dangers of indoor air pollution
According to the WHO indoor air pollution in Sri Lanka is largely a result of burning solid fuels (biomass or coal) for cooking. Firewood is used as the principal type of cooking fuel in many households in Sri Lanka. Therefore, women and children are at a higher risk of contracting diseases due to household air pollution. According to the findings of the WHO, this leads to a large proportion of the total number of deaths from ischemic heart disease, stroke and lung cancer. It also leads to a number of reported COPD cases in women compared to men. In Sri Lanka, 56 per cent of an estimated 230 child deaths due to acute lower respiratory infections are attributable to household air pollution (WHO – 2012)
Adding to this Professor Ileperuma said: “These old ladies who have been cooking in these kitchens for years get lung cancer. Normally, we attribute lung cancer to heavy smoking in men but this is due to the firewood. Cooking is usually done in a small room with a small window. Generally, while the husband and children are enjoying their time in an airy room, the mother will be cooking in a congested kitchen. What can be done, as a solution, is to cook in an open air kitchen, like back in the old days, with adequate ventilation.”
Air pollution certainly plays a significant role when it comes to health concerns. However, it only comes to the centre of attention when unfortunate incidents such as the blast at the Salawa Army camp occur. So it will only be discussed during that particular time. Nevertheless, air pollution is a real threat and a public menace which affects people on a daily basis. As a result proper and effective measures need to be taken to sufficiently counter this ultimate health hazard.

(Source : 12/07/2016 Ceylon Today http://www.ceylontoday.lk/print20160321CT20160630.php?id=3233)

 

Many volunteers to clean-up Mount beach

Sri Lanka’s revolutionary flip-flop brand “Waves” brought together their employees and volunteers from all walks of life to stage a pioneering corporate social responsibility on Mount beach on June.

The beach clean-up was held to commemorate “World Flip Flop Day” which falls on the third Friday of June every year. Waves” initiated the annual “World Flip Flop Day” celebrations in Sri Lanka last year. Being a brand inspired by the beauty of Mother Nature itself “Waves” initiated the beach clean-up to ensure that beauty is protected for future generations.

The beach clean-up commenced at 7:30am and more than 150 volunteers cleared a 2km stretch of the Mount Lavinia beach of all debris brought in by the waves and garbage left behind by the general public. Many of the volunteers were drawn in through a social media campaign that was widespread especially among the youth who are also the target audience of the brand. Families, groups of friends turned out in their numbers to help in this worthy cause and “Waves” is looking forward to extending this endeavor to other parts of the island as well. –

Source12/07/2016 Daily Mirror : http://www.dailymirror.lk/112334/-Waves-gather-many-volunteers-to-clean-up-Mount-Lavinia-beach#sthash.f3iQWsjk.dpuf

Removal of natural reef after submission of EFR

An Environmental Feasibility Report (EFR) is being drafted by the Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development requesting the removal of the natural reef which claims to hinder the Dehiwela coastal line and to build a breakwater.

Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Mahinda Amaraweera has requested for this report and after inspection, the Minister has suggested removing the reef and building a breakwater. However, Mr. Amaraweera has also pointed out the risks that the people will face once the reef is removed. Therefore soil erosion will take place faster and many houses will be washed away.

Once the report is submitted the Ministry will be allocating funds to remove the reef and to build a breakwater and allow the fishermen to engage in their activities. Eminent environmental expert and systems ecologist Dr. Ranil Senanayake said that if this breakwater is removed Colombo will be losing its last environmental protection against the rising of the sea level. “The politicians don’t understand the gravity of its impact after it’s removed. For all these years, how did these boats leave to the sea? Why do they suggest that it should be removed all of a sudden? This is completely ridiculous and if future there will be many adverse impacts on climate change if such an action is being taken.”

Aruna Roshantha of the All Ceylon Fisheries Union said that removing the natural breakwater is not a wise thing to be done. “Fishermen too have their own experiences. If they claim it to be a barrier for them, then the authorities should ensure that they develop favourable conditions for the fishermen to do their fishing. Some of them do fishing during the night and during the days of rough tides, there could be an added risk. According to the fishermen this reef has caused many deaths while on their voyages and has imposed a huge risk on their lives. So far 6 fishermen have lost their lives as a result of their boats hitting the reef and eventually capsizing. However, the Daily Mirror also learned that over the years, the fishermen have been taking their boats out to the sea through a place named ‘kadamaththa’, a U-shaped inversion that has been designed for this purpose. Yet, during the night fishermen usually forget where they have to leave from and at times they are under the influence of alcohol.

A few days back a protest was held by a group of fishermen blocking the railway lines in Dehiwela and requesting the authorities to remove the reef that is obstructing their day-to-day activities. The issue was taken in to consideration by the Minister two months ago and after his visit to the area he has decided to remove the reef and build a breakwater to reduce the rising sea level. A meeting will be held today at the Ministry to discuss about the removal of the reef with the presence of the Minister and the fishing community

(Source : 08/07/2016Daily Mirror : http://www.dailymirror.lk/112200/Removal-of-natural-reef-after-submission-of-EFR#sthash.3orCo3bN.dpuf)

RDA announces Highway Tree Planting Week

The Road Development Authority (RDA) in its efforts to reinforce sustainable development has identified an opportunity to plant trees on the wayside of the Southern Expressway.

At the invitation of Expressway Operation Maintenance and Management Division of the RDA, Sadaharitha Plantations Limited jointly launches a Highway Tree Planting Week and has offered 100 aquilaria plants. The tree planting activities took place in selected locations of the Southern Expressway from July 4 – 8, 2016. Marking this event plants were distributed to the Divisional Executive Engineer Offices at the Galanigama Expressway Interchange Office premises on Monday, July 4.

“Since 2010, the RDA has added greenery on the main roads and city roundabouts and isles. Today we have overcome a challenge in reforesting the Southern Expressway in an aesthetically pleasing manner. Our goal is to plant 50,000 trees in the RDA-owned properties situated on the wayside of the highway,” Director EOM and M Division Expressway Operation Maintenance and Management Division S. Opanayaka noted.

Drawing attention to the significant value of the project Sadaharitha Plantations Ltd Chairman Sathis Navarathne added, “We are more than happy to be part of this great effort. At Sadaharitha Plantations LTD we support efforts of bringing down carbon footprints every way we could, trees and forests are the most vital weapon we have against climate change.” Further elaborating on the importance of reforestation, University of Sri Jayewardenepura Forestry and Environmental Sciences Department Senior Lecturer Dr. Upul Subasinghe explained the importance of adopting to green economy concept using commercial valuable trees. Residents around the Galanigama area, Opanayaka, Nawarathne and Dr. Subasinghe graced the event.   See more

 

(Source :09/07/2016 Daily Mirror : http://www.dailymirror.lk/112228/RDA-announces-Highway-Tree-Planting-Week#sthash.d8Rj5HHp.dpuf)

Animal cruelty, weapons and national security

Photos of animal torturers go viral on social media: Animal cruelty, weapons and national security –

Animal cruelty, be it torture, slaughter or even caging for that matter has become a growing concern from around the world. At a time when animal rights activists have started voicing their concerns about allowing animals to coexist  with humans, it wasn’t before long that social media revealed footage of a group of people staring at a tortured sea-eagle. This was followed by a man holding a dead peacock with an air rifle in his hand whose wife was giving out numerous excuses to prove that the husband wasn’t guilty. Several months afterwards, quite shockingly, social media again succeeded in ‘naming and shaming’ a group of people who have been killing and torturing rare and endemic species of animals in the wild, for meat and for sheer thrill. In order to shed light on this latest incident, the Daily Mirror spoke to a few interested parties who voiced out their concerns.

These suspects can be arrested without a warrant : Jagath Gunawardena

Environmental lawyer and Attorney-at-law Jagath Gunawardena said that whatever the suspects have been doing were offences under the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance. “For example, the barking deer is a strictly protected mammal and just for killing one of them, these suspects can be arrested. The other mammals are categorized as protected mammals but since they are offences, they can be arrested without a warrant. Another thing is the fact that these people have been using air rifles and spearguns which are not being mentioned in the Firearm Ordinance. Even the use of projectiles has not been specified. Therefore it has become easy for people like these suspects to kill animals in the wild without any objections. I suggest that it’s high time that the Firearm Ordinance is duly amended to include these weapons and ensure that all life is ultimately being protected. I also believe that many sophisticated people kill animals and engage in this kind of behaviour for their own entertainment and thrill.”   He further stated that there are limitations to killing animals such as wild boars and porcupines. “Although they are listed as non-protected mammals there are limitations to kill them. They can only be killed within a person’s personal property.  They cannot be killed during the night time, in a forest, near a waterfall etc. Also there are 8 non-protected mammals, 5 non-protected reptiles and 5 birds. But in whatever the case their flesh cannot be traded.

 

Excellent way of highlighting animal cruelty : Iromi Salgado

Speaking to the , Committee member of the Animal Welfare and Protection Association (AWPA) Iromi Salgado said that it was an excellent way of highlighting the cruelty that people wouldn’t otherwise have known. “If social media could be used this way it can really open the eyes of the public. Many people wouldn’t have known that these kinds of incidents actually take place. Although this incident had taken place several years back, I am happy that the authorities were able to get hold of the culprits. Animals are a part of our nature and we humans should start to coexist with them.”

“If social media could be used this way it can really open the eyes of the public”

Many people use air rifles to protect their cultivations : N. G Panditharathna

In his comments to the , N. G Panditharathna, Additional secretary, Civil Security and Development division at the Ministry of Defence said that people are allowed to import air rifles. “It is not a fire arm under the act and therefore many people use it in their cultivations. These were issued for coconut planters to use in their cultivations to protect them from animals such as monkeys. Once a dealer is registered under the agriculture department or the Coconut cultivation board, he can import these air rifles and distribute among their farmers. Humans cannot be killed unless shot from a close proximity. Usually animals are aimed at within a distance of 50m and this distance has little effect on killing the target.”

“These were issued for coconut planters to use in their cultivations to protect them from animals such as monkeys”

Anybody can possess air rifles without permits : Gamini Jayawickrama Perera

Speaking to the , Minister of Wildlife and Sustainable Development, Gamini Jayawickrama Perera said that all suspects have been arrested and are being questioned. “No permits are needed to possess air rifles in Sri Lanka and this is starting to become a menace now. Anybody can get a stock of air rifles and even start shooting people. Why they use air rifles is due to the fact that it doesn’t produce any sound when killing a target. These people have killed rare species of animals as seen from the photos. We have to start respecting wildlife and treasure our flora and fauna.”

“No permits are needed to possess air rifles in Sri Lanka and this is starting to become a menace now”

The use of these weapons should be banned : Sagarika Rajakarunanayake

In her comments director of Sathva Mithra group and animal rights activist Sagarika Rajakarunanayake said that it was high time that these weapons were banned from use. “We need to find out who are purchasing these weapons and also who are selling them. It has been a horrible sight to see animals being tortured before they are being killed. The entire line of activity has to be traced because this is not the first time that such an incident took place.”

“We need to find out who are purchasing these weapons and also who are selling them”

 

 

Statement by Police Media Unit

According to a statement released by the Police Media Unit it mentioned that these suspects were residents of Panwila, Kandy and this incident had occured five years ago at St. John’s Estate in Madulkelle.
Six suspects in connection to the incident were arrested on Saturday and Sunday. Two air rifles, pellets and a gun have been taken into custody. The suspects were between ages 22 and 42 and they were produced at the Teldeniya Magistrate’s Court on Sunday for further investigations.

Expose by a wildlife expert

A wildlife expert who wished to remain anonymous told the Daily Mirror  that air rifles were issued a few years back to coconut planters to protect their cultivations. The air rifles were used to chase away monkeys and many of them had been distributed at the time. “However the method of killing is immaterial because animals such as the barking deer are endemic species and are strictly protected under the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance. These air rifles have now become more powerful because the barking deer is the size of a dog.”
In order to clarify this information the Daily Mirror tried to contact the Minister of Plantation Industries, Navin Dissanayake but learned that he was currently overseas and several attempts to contact Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries, Wasantha Lakshman Perera failed.

(Source: 5/7/2016 Daily Mirror : http://www.dailymirror.lk/112007/Photos-of-animal-torturers-go-viral-on-social-media-Animal-cruelty-weapons-and-national-security#sthash.KsLQliDZ.dpuf)

 

More teeth for animal protection legislation

While seeking legal advice to control the use of air guns which are used in sports, the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Wildlife is to amend the existing Fauna and Flora Protection Act, which is outdated, to give more powers to deal with those slaughtering wild animals.

With the recent incident which went on viral on social media, of a number of youth killing wild animals mercilessly in the  forest, the Ministry has decided to impose stringent laws against those torturing, harassing and killing animals found in the wild.

The six suspects who have been arrested had killed several wild animals in the Knuckles Forest. The combined investigations by the Police and Wildlife Department have found that the six suspects are from wealthy families. They have been accused of torturing and killing deer and porcupines which are listed in the endangered species of the country.

The main suspect was arrested in Panwilla and two were arrested at St. John’s Estate in Madolkele and the other suspects have also been arrested by the police yesterday. The Police have also taken three firearms belonging to the suspects. “ We have taken action to give the maximum punishment to the six animal killers. But, in future we will increase the punishment by amending the existing wildlife protection laws to give these killers severe punishment, “ Minister Gamini Jayawickrema Perera told the Daily FT.

He said that he had directed the Police and the officials of the Department of Wildlife Conservation to arrest the six culprits including the owner of the 400-acre tea plantation, who has also taken part in the inhumane killing of wild animals. “They had been slaughtering wild animals for the last two-years. They had derived fun from harming and killing innocent animals. This is the second incident of slaughtering animals highlighted in social media. We need to introduce tough legal action against them before this becomes a habit among youth,” he stressed.

“I have instructed the legal unit of the Ministry to draft the amendments within a few months. Not only torturing animals, neglect of domesticated animals will also be looked into under the new amendments,” the Minister said.

Meanwhile, Minister Perera has also instructed the legal unit of the Ministry to prepare a paper to request the government to control the sale and use of all sports guns including the air guns soon.

“These weapons including air guns are freely available and even a school child can buy them now. These are high powered guns, which even can kill a person. There is a trend of using these guns now in Sri Lanka and it poses a security threat,” he said.

The Minister said that the government should bring laws to take all such weapons in use into custody and control imports and confiscate the existing such sports weapons belonging to persons who were not using them for sports.

“If they are used in sports, there should be laws to identify to whom these guns should be sold,” he said.

The suspects are to be remanded till 7 July. –

(Source 04/06/2016 Daily FT : http://www.ft.lk/article/552616/More-teeth-for-animal-protection-legislation#sthash.G4ergWwn.dpuf)

Laugfs Eco Sri distributes 5,000 plants under Green Guardian campaign

Officers should totally commit themselves to environmental conservation

Human – Leopard conflict

The Sri Lankan leopard, scientifically known as Panthera pardus kotiya has been listed as an endangered animal by the International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. While leopards are found across a large swathe of the island, they are mostly concentrated in the north west and the south east, areas corresponding to the Yala and Wilpattu National Parks. However, outside these protected areas, a significant leopard population is also found in the hill country. As forest areas in Sri Lanka’s hills have come under intense pressure with increased deforestation and encroachment, leopards and humans in the hills have been drawn into a one-sided conflict, with leopards being the clear loser.

Not conflict, but massacre

Over the past few weeks a spate of leopard killings have been reported in the hills. Senior environmental lawyer, Jagath Gunawardena is of the view that it is not actually a conflict between human beings and leopards, but that people deliberately kill leopards for the flesh and the skin.

Currently, less than 18% of the Hill Country is covered by natural forests, with villages, estates and small farms accounting for most of the area. Hence, as leopards wander into human areas they become easy targets.

 

“There is encroachment in the forests; there is illegal deforestation and forest fires. As a result, the animals are running out of space and food,” said Gunawardena.

Numbers

According to Gunawardena, even the reports stating that large numbers of leopards are being killed, are unreliable, and represent only a fraction of the total number of leopards actually killed.

“My suspicion is for every two killings reported, there may be one killing which goes unreported. Although harming or killing a leopard is a non bailable offence which carries a high penalty, people have not stopped committing such acts.”

Deforestation

Central Environmental Authority Board member, Ajitha De Costa explained that deforestation is not only a threat to the leopards, but also makes the land vulnerable to landslides and creates a shortage of water as well. “From Horton Plains to Haputale, the entire area is deforested. There is a high probability of the area facing landslides,” he said.

Pointing out that forest patches between estates have been cut by the villagers for firewood, thereby depriving the leopards of their habitat, De Costa says it is the fault of the people that has led to a series of issues.

He said, yet another reason for the decrease of leopards in the area covered by forests is forest fires. Forest fires often result due to attempts by residents to clear jungle areas for cultivation.

Jagath GunawardenaNimalka SanjeewaniPubudu Weeraratne

Awareness

(The one which underwent dental extraction and the other, sans claws!)

Outreach Officer of the Leopard Project, Nimalka Sanjeewani said, they are currently conducting public awareness programs via lectures, television programs and informal community based talks.

“The behaviour of the animal is such that they wander in search of food. With deforestation, they tend to come to villages. Leopards are active mostly at night, so we have advised people to keep their pets and other animals in cages since such animals can be easy prey for leopards,” she said.

According to Sanjeewani, the Leopard Project conducted by The Wilderness & Wildlife Conservation Trust intends to make the public aware through community awareness programs in border settlements and tea estate communities, and thereby attempt to reduce the numbers affected by the human-animal conflict.

Media’s responsibility

Head of the Biodiversity Conservation Centre, Pubudu Weeraratne criticized the media for creating the notion of a human-leopard conflict and fuelling fears of villagers.

“Media has not done what is expected of them. All they did was create more issues by scaring the public. The issue has been clearly blown out of proportions,” he said.

The long term survival of the hill country leopard populations is a complex and difficult task. Jagath Gunawardena however, believes, to mitigate the situation a holistic plan is needed. He says, the issue of leopard killings is yet a facet of the degradation and destruction of their habitat.

“Trying to find a solution only for the leopard issue will blind us to the bigger picture. If that is addressed then the other matters are invariably solved, he said.

Source : Sunday Observer 26/06/2015 http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2016/06/26/fea06.asp

Mangroves are a natural barrier against marine depredation:Dr. Donald Macintosh

Not being satisfied with just studying mangroves, Dr. Donald Macintosh has become a strong advocate, flying from country to country, to spread the message on their importance. Interestingly, the mud-crabs which riveted his attention as a youth and continue to do so, are known to crab-lovers as the ‘Sri Lankan jumbo crabs’, which are threatened by habitat loss and over-fishing. (See box please)

The most recent visit to Sri Lanka of 65-year-old Dr. Macintosh was in May, to make a presentation on ‘Mainstreaming biodiversity: Sustaining people and their livelihoods’ to commemorate the International Day for Biological Diversity, on the invitation of Biodiversity Sri Lanka.

The day after his presentation, it was an exclusive interview with the Sunday Times in the morning, before travelling deep-south to give his technical expertise on coastal development to two hotels in Weligama and Hambantota, after which it was back to base in Bangkok, Thailand, for he is Senior Advisor at ‘Mangroves For the Future’ (MFF) in the Asia Regional Office of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Before we focus on the importance of mangroves, we turn the spotlight on the ‘man amidst the mangroves’ who has been working in this wide field of mangrove ecosystem management and inextricably-linked coastal conservation and development including sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, for more than 35 years.

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, he smilingly points out that it “can’t get more Scottish than that” before he speaks briefly of his academic achievements. It was when he was taking a course in Tropical Biology at Aberdeen University that the “great diversity” of the subject dawned on him. Feeling the need to work in the tropics, he applied for a Commonwealth Scholarship, as there was a research link between the University of Aberdeen and the University of Malaya.

“Off I went to Malaysia as a 21-year-old, unsure about what I wanted to do,” he says, adding that he was able to secure one of four Commonwealth Scholarships offered.

The mangrove fascination gripped him when he was studying for his doctorate on the ‘Ecology of crabs living in mangroves’ at the University of Malaya. This was the 1970s, and there were only three people in the whole country who were interested in mangroves, laughs Dr. Macintosh, describing how the early interest in shrimp farming in mangroves began in Malaysia, which in turn led him to look at the ‘economic uses’ of mangroves. “Mangroves were arousing an interest among businessmen which was making governments also pay attention to them.”

Then back home to Scotland went Dr. Macintosh to Stirling University’s Institute of Aquaculture, taking a deep look at how mangrove aquaculture could be developed. “In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, I was interested in developing the aquaculture potential such as shrimps, blood cockles and crabs in mangroves,” he says.

His personal life too had taken a different pathway as by this time he had married Sherry (“as in the wine,” he smiles) whom he met at the University of Malaya. Sherry who is from Malaysia is now retired after working as a Local Government Service Provision Officer in Scotland.

The stint at the Institute of Aquaculture, Stirling University, was followed by Dr. Macintosh donning the mantle of Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) Professor in Environment and Development at the University of Aarhus in Denmark, where he was also Director of the Centre for Tropical Ecosystems Research. Even though he is retired from there now, he remains an Adjunct Professor at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) near Bangkok.

He has also managed several large coastal development projects in Southeast Asia including as Senior Technical Advisor to ‘Support to the Marine Area Network’ in Vietnam, Consultant to the World Bank/DANIDA funded ‘Coastal Wetlands Protection and Development Project’ in the Mekong Delta; and Denmark’s Coordinator of a DANIDA-funded Integrated Coastal Zone Management Programme at AIT.

From 2007 to 2011, meanwhile, Dr. Macintosh was the Regional Coordinator of MFF, a post-tsunami response involving Sri Lanka, India, Maldives, Thailand, Indonesia and Seychelles, and more recently also Bangladesh, Pakistan, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam.

Going back in time to the deadly devastation of the tsunami, he says that the catch phrase put out by Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery, Bill Clinton, was ‘To build back better’. This is apt – there was forward-thinking to put back something better to help the coastal communities along the Indian Ocean. MFF was launched in December 2006 by Bill Clinton in Phuket, Thailand, with the symbolic planting of mangroves, with funding from Scandinavia, Norway, Sweden and Denmark, with smaller amounts from Australia, Germany and United Nations Agencies.

“Now it is almost 10 years since the launch of MFF and there needs to be increasing private-sector support, for they need to stand up and be counted,” says Dr. Macintosh, reiterating that MFF should get localized, as ownership is important for sustainability. It should be a three-way joint effort – local businesses, local community and local government – while universities and media also play a vital role. Technical advice and other speciality advice may be secured from outside.

Thereafter, Dr. Macintosh launches into his favourite topic………mangroves which are not only effective in warding off the effects of a tsunami but are also an asset to have around in severe floods, typhoons or cyclones.

“The mangroves physically protect a coastline against wave surges created by storms, with tsunamis being an extreme version of it. The mangrove root system is dense and strong and acts as a physical barrier by absorbing the force of tidal-wave surges while the mangrove forest will also absorb wind energy up to a certain amount,” he says.

Dr. Macintosh speaks with evidence in hand that a 100-metre wide belt of mangroves will reduce the velocity of a storm wave by 90%. This has been measured, he says.

Making us take a closer look at mangroves, this expert points out that their dense root system binds the soil, reducing soil erosion. When sediments are washed by rivers to the coastal zone, a lot of it is trapped by this root system, so there is no destruction of corals by the sedimentation. The flow of fresh flood water from land to sea is also slowed by mangroves.

“Globally, we’ve fragmented the mangroves and now we have them in patches. Therefore, effectivity is diminished. There is an urgent need to recreate quite a significant belt,” says Dr. Macintosh, adding that mangroves are also valuable in supporting fisheries – shrimp, mud-crab and a large number of fish species. What we don’t think of is that mangroves also harbour many insects and birds, in an environment of rich biodiversity.

The protection of mangroves should be incentive-based and not regulated, he is quick to point out. Mangroves need protection and management in a way where communities benefit. This, in turn, becomes an incentive for the community to become the guardians of mangroves.

 

Protecting  our mud crab

Biodiversity is the ‘natural capital’ that we need to protect and use wisely, underscores Dr. Don Macintosh, pointing out that habitat and biodiversity loss and pollution are the widespread consequences of human activities. These impact on human health, food security and livelihoods while climate change and extreme weather patterns are adding to the threats faced by all natural ecosystems.

Dwelling on what the ‘ecosystem approach’ is, he says it is astrategy for integrated management of land, water and living resources that promotes conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way.

Picking out the coastlines and seas within tropical Asia which are among the most productive and biodiversity-rich in the world, Dr. Macintosh explains that coral reefs and sea-grass beds provide the primary production and habitat needs of countless marine animal species, while mangrove ecosystems support hundreds of animal and plant species from diverse origins (marine, intertidal and terrestrial).

“Conserving these valuable, but fragile ecosystems and the biodiversity they support is made very challenging by a number of factors. They include the high levels of exploitation of aquatic species by coastal fishing communities and commercial fisheries and development pressures to increasingly urbanise and industrialise Asia’s coastal zones.”

Without sustainable (ecosystem-based) management, there is over-exploitation of natural resources; unplanned and unregulated coastal development; weak institutional responsibilities and poor governance which lead to habitat degradation, erosion, pollution, aquatic diseases and loss of valuable species, fisheries and livelihoods, it is learnt.

Here, Dr. Macintosh delves deep into the mangroves and picks up the mud-crab citing the case study of the ‘Sri Lankan jumbo crab’. Moving among mangroves, inshore and offshore habitats during its life history, which includes phases as a planktonic, crawling, burrowing and swimming organism, this iconic and valuable crustacean is severely threatened by habitat loss and over-fishing.

The mud-crab is the most mangrove-dependent fisheries resource supporting local livelihoods, but is severely over-fished, according to him.

“Immensely important to the food and livelihood security of millions of coastal- and river-dwelling people globally and especially across Asia, the commercial species are part of complex food webs. However, they have been heavily impacted by over-fishing, habitat loss or degradation and pollution,” laments this expert.

This is why Dr. Macintosh is urging a “common vision” for healthy coastal ecosystems, to bring about a more prosperous and secure future for coastal communities.

Otherwise, for Sri Lankans a sumptuous, finger-licking good crab curry may also become just a dream.

Source :2016:06:26 Sunday Times :http://www.sundaytimes.lk/160626/news/mangroves-are-a-natural-barrier-against-marine-depredation-expert-198790.html