Sri Lanka unveils ambitious plans to boost forest coverage to 32% by 2030

Compared to the past two years, 2024 is expected to see a significant rise in the number of local and foreign tourists visiting attractions managed by the Department of Forest Conservation, said Pavithra Wanniarachchi, the Minister of Wildlife, Forest Resources Conservation, and Irrigation.

She noted that 364,521 tourists visited in the first half of 2024, with 40% of them being tourists.

Addressing a press briefing held under the press briefing series titled “Two Years of Progress and Way Forward”, held at the Presidential Media Centre today (28), Wildlife, Forest Resources Conservation, and Irrigation Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi further elaborated;

“Compared to the past two years, 2024 is expected to see a significant increase in the number of local and foreign tourists visiting attractive destinations managed by the Department of Forest Conservation. In 2022, 289,405 tourists visited these destinations, and in 2023, the number rose to 444,053. In the first six months of 2024 alone, 364,521 tourists have already visited.

Among these visitors, 19.8% were foreign tourists in 2022. This percentage increased to 27.8% in 2023 and has reached 40% so far in 2024.

To strengthen the economy by earning foreign exchange, we have prepared regulations to uplift the eco-tourism industry, obtained Parliament’s approval, and made the necessary legal amendments.

In 2023, the 2,500-hectare Gal Oya national park was opened to the public as a new tourist destination. Additionally, an information Centre was established at the entrance gate of the Kudava Dorana ela in Sinharaja Forest, drawing more visitors. In 2024, the Manigala Forest Lodge was built in the Ilukkumbura area of the Knuckles forest reserve, and a bicycle path was opened in Udawattakele, Kandy, for tourists. This year also saw the opening of the Bandarawela Falls Lodge and Galwila Ecological Park in the Puttalam district.

To address the sanitary issues faced by foreign tourists, dedicated sanitary facilities have been established exclusively for foreign passport holders at popular tourist destinations such as Sinharaja, Kanneliya, Hurulu, Knuckles, and Udawattakele. Additionally, an online ticket reservation system named “Day Visitor E-Permits” is now available for Yala, Udawalawe, Horton Plains, Kaudulla, Minneriya, and Wilpattu National Parks.
Efforts are also underway to increase the forest cover from the current 29% to 32% by 2030. This involves acquiring approximately 144,000 hectares of new forest land that was not previously gazetted under our management.

To encourage people to plant trees outside of forests, the Cabinet has approved the preparation of the related act, which has been submitted to the Legal Draftsman Department, and the draft is now complete. This year, modern technology, including the use of drones, has been employed to protect forests. Additionally, joint efforts are underway to safeguard non-reserved forests in the North Eastern and North Central Provinces. Forest boundaries are being identified and declared as protected, with boundary canals planted around them to establish a permanent forest system.

We have placed special emphasis on the restoration of mangrove ecosystems, and our efforts have received international recognition. Over the past two years, we have planted 326 hectares of mangroves, and this year, Sri Lanka was honoured with the United Nations Flagship Award for our contributions to mangrove restoration during the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

The Department of National Zoological Gardens under our ministry was also adversely affected by the country’s economic crisis. Although revenue was low during those years, we earned Rs.1, 089.97 million in 2023. By the end of June 2023, revenue reached Rs.436.71 million, and by the end of June 2024, it had increased to Rs.728.60 million, representing a 66% growth compared to the previous year.

The State Timber Corporation is expected to record a net profit by the end of the year, thanks to the revenue of Rs.2, 000 million achieved so far in 2024. Additionally, the measures taken to control the elephant menace—a significant issue in our country—should help reduce human and wild elephant deaths starting from 2023. To support this effort, over 4,700 workers have been hired to maintain the existing 5,390 km of electric fencing. We also plan to conduct a survey on the country’s elephant population for the first time in 13 years within the next two months. Moreover, the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance have been amended, and new laws have been introduced to combat wildlife crimes more effectively.”

Secretary to the Ministry of Wildlife, Forest Resources Conservation and Irrigation Gunadasa Samarasinghe, Director General of Wildlife M.G.C. Sooriyabandara, Conservator General of Forests E.A.P.N. Edirisinghe, Director of National Zoological Gardens Anoma Priyadarshani, and Deputy General Manager (Marketing) of State Timber Corporation were also present at the press briefing.

--PMD