Natural Vegetation of Sri Lanka

Manjula Karunaratne

Department of Geography

Tropical forests

The concept of biodiversity hotspots was originated by Norman Myers in two articles in “The Environmentalist” (1988),& 1990 revised after thorough analysis by Myers and others in “Hotspots: Earth’s Biologically Richest and Most Endangered Terrestrial Eco

regions”.

Biodiversity hotspot on Norman Myers 2000

Source: Statistical Abstracts of the Department of Census and Statistics-2006.

What is the forest

• FAO 2000 (FRA 2000 Main Report) Forest includes natural forests and forest plantations.

• It is used to refer to land with a tree canopy cover of more than 10 percent and area of more than 0.5 ha.

• Forests are determined both by the presence of trees and the absence of other predominant land uses.

Previous studies on distribution of forest cover in Sri Lanka

• The last update of forest cover assessment was made in 1999 using LANDSAT TM imageries acquired during 1996 and aerial photographs of 1999; the total forest cover according to this assessment was about 1,942,229 ha or 29.6% of the land area.

Depletion of natural forest cover during four successive surveys

Year Area As a % Land Area

Differences Average Annual Depletion %

1956 2,898,842 44.2

1983 2,458,250 37.5 -440,592 15.2 0.6

1992 2,046,599 31.2 -411,651 16.7 1.9

1996 1,942.219 29.6 -104,380 5.1 1.3

Sources: Forest Department,2007

Forest cover changes in Sri Lanka

Year Population

(00000)

Forest

cover

1880 3.5 70

1953 8.1 50

1983 15 266

1992 17 23.9

2002 18.5 22

• According to the U.N. FAO, 28.8% or about 1,860,000 ha of Sri Lanka was forested in 2010, according to FAO. Of this 9.0% ( 167,000 ) is classified as primary forest, the most biodiverse and carbon-dense form of forest. Sri Lanka had 185,000 ha of planted forest.

• Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2010, Sri Lanka lost an average of 24,500 ha or 1.04% per year. In total, between 1990 and 2010, Sri Lanka lost 20.9% of its forest cover, or around 490,000 ha.

Forest Type Main Area Structural Features Dominant species

Tropical Wet Lowland

Evergreen

Sinharaja, KDN

Complex

Multi-storeyed,

emergent over

40m,canopy 30-

40m,understorey 5—

15m,shrubs and

ground layer

100 to 140 SP

Hora,Bu Hora,Na,

thiniya,Kataboda

Tropical Wet Sub

montane Evergreen

Peak

wilderness,Knuckles,

Sooriyakanda

Transitional features, About 90 SP

Rathdun,Keena,Galum

ora

Tropical Wet Montane

Evergreen

Horton

Plains,Piduruthalagal

a, Kikiliyamana

Canopy 8-10 m,low

understory and

shraubs

About 90 SP

Keena,Dumbu,Dawul

Kurundu

Tropical Moist Semi

Evergreen

Daragoda,Wasgomuw

a,Randenigala (VRR)

Canopy 15-25 m,

understrory 5-10m,

shrubs and ground

layer

About 40 – 50 SP

Etamba,Kekuna,Mora

Tropical Dry Mixed

Evergreen

Hurulu wewa,Uda

Walave,Maduu Oya

Canopy 10-20 m,

understory 5-10 m,

shrubs and ground

layer

Wira,Palu,Kohomba,B

urutha

Scrub and Thorn

Forest

Yala, Wilpattu Canopy 10 -20 m,

sparse shrubs

Milla,Kuratiya

Vegetation Types

• Montane Forests

• Sub Montane Forests

• Lowland Rain Forests

• Moist Monsoon Forests

• Dry Monsoon Forests

• Riverine Forests

• Sparse and Open Forests

• Mangrove Forests

Montane Forest

Sub Montane forest

Lowland Rain Forests

Dry Monsoon Forests

Riverine Forests

Moist Monsoon Forests

Sparse and Open Forest

Mangrove Forests

How this landscape has built-up ?

• Colonial influences

• Post colonial development projects

• Process of open economy

• Globalization effects

• Modern development activities

Comprehensive policy interventions from 1980 to 1995

• In 1980 a new national policy (Forestry Master Plan-FMP) on forests was

proclaimed and it emphasized the importance of the sustainable management

of the supply of timber and fuel wood and of the participation of communities

in the establishment of private and agro-forest farming through social forestry

programmes (Nanayakkara,1982).

• This series of policies was highly concerned about the contribution of

forestry towards environmental conservation and development.

• The significance of community participation in forest management and

conservation had also been taken into consideration.

Forestry Master Plan- 1980

• To maintain, conserve and create forest for the preservation and amelioration of the environment soil and water resources and for the protection of the local fauna and flora when required for aesthetic, scientific historical and socio-economic reasons;

• To ensure and increase as far as possible the supplies of small wood for agricultural requirements and fuel wood for domestic consumption;

• To maintain as far as possible a sustained yield of timber and other forest products for general housing, industrial, communication and defense requirements of the country.

• To work the forest to the highest possible economic advantage as it is consistent with the foregoing objectives; and

• To involve the local people communities in the development of private woodlots and forestry farms through a programme of social forestry. (Wikramashinghe, 1987:25)

Forestry Master Plan……….

• However, since this policy had given priority to the utilization of forests for economic purposes, environmentalists were highly critical of it (Kotagama,2003).

• This took place due to the global forest conservation and management influences.

Forestry Sector Master Plan- 1995

Based on new global trends, the Forestry Sector Master Plan (FSMP) was

introduced in 1995 and it is this plan which is currently being implemented.

There are three major objectives of this national policy as follows;

1) To conserve forests for posterity with particular regard to biodiversity, soil,

water and historical, cultural religious and aesthetic values;

2) To increase the tree cover and productivity of the forest to meet the needs

of present and future generation for forest produce and services;

3) To enhance the contribution of forestry to the welfare of the rural

population and strengthen the national economy, with special attention paid

to equity in economic development. (Wickramashinghe, 1997:166)

Forest Administrating structure

Forest Administrating structure

cd;sl wdrÌs; m%foaY

fï hgf;a rÌs; mzfoaY 07 la jrA. fldg ;sfí.

• oeä rÌs; m%foaY. Strict Nature Reserves

• cd;sl jfkdaoHdk National Parks

• iajNdj rÌs; m%foaY. Nature Reserves

• jk msúiqï $ w,suxlv. Jungle Corridors

• wkd: rÌs; $ wdrÌd ia:dk. Refuge

• iuqøsh rÌs; N+ñ Marine Reserves

• iSudka;ßl l,dm $ fmzaria: l,dm. Buffer Zones

wNhN+ï

Thank you..