Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation Minister Pavithradevi Vanniarachchi has instructed the relevant authorities to pay immediate attention to the spread of the invasive plant species ‘Koenigia mollis‘ in the vicinity of the Sri Pada range.
This invasive plant has been proven to have a severe impact on native biodiversity. ‘Koenigia mollis,‘ which was first reported in Myanmar and the Eastern Himalayas, has now spread to Nepal and China.
Considering this situation, she advised the officials to use scientific and technical methods to remove this invasive plant.
This invasive plant has been found to spread around the access roads, shops, and toilets of Sri Pada.
In areas where the plant has spread, native plants are completely overwhelmed. Therefore, environmentalists point out that these plants make a serious threat to the existence of the country’s flora and fauna.
Researchers at Sabaragamuwa University have found that this particular plant, which usually grows to a height of 6 to 8 feet in mountainous areas, gradually weakens the stability of its root system. This weakening contributes to the increased risk of landslides on mountaintops.
In this discussion, the Minister instructed the Director-General of Wildlife to provide a detailed report on the progress of removing the invasive plant.
Seniore botanist Professor Cyril Wijesundara also participated in this discussion.