Under the national program to protect and preserve “Vanaspathi” forests, steps have been taken to gazette 16 government forests as reserves from today (15).
Government forests will be declared as reserves centered on the districts of Monaragala, Ampara and Kandy.
In the Monaragala district,
Monaragala site – Agaray, Bandarawadiya, Kudagodakanda, Millakelle, Wanthibbagoda, Weheragalakanda government forests
Siyambalanduwa site – Ambattahela government forest
Wellawaya site – Kandeyaya, Poramadilla, Weliara government forests
In the Ampara district,
Akkarapattuwa site – Palamkuda Mangrove forest
Ampara site – Karangawa government forest
Mahaoya site – Badulugoda government forest
Lahugala site – Panama North government forest
In the Kandy district,
Kandyura site – Rilagala and Rajagala government forests were declared as new reserves from today.
Accordingly, an area of 5711.75 hectares of all these government forests has been declared as reserves from today.
In line with the new government’s environmental policy, the objectives of the Ministry of Environment and the Paris Agreement, the national program to protect and preserve forests that protect water sources, animals and plants, under the name “Vanaspathi”, began today (15) at the open-air theater of the Bajjangoda Reserve Forest, Gampaha.
It was under the patronage of the Minister of Environment, Dr. Dammika Patabendi.
The Vanaspathi National Programme is expected to be implemented in the long term as an extension of the environmental conservation process that began on World Environment Day, as a step forward in managing and conserving natural forest cover to maintain ecosystem services, in line with the new government policy statement, to enrich the relevant ecosystems to meet the food and water needs of all wildlife.
As a sign of Sri Lanka’s commitment to the Paris Agreement, there is a need to increase Sri Lanka’s forest cover to 32% by 2030.