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Stripping the south
Unchecked logging in the Kotiyagala area will not only affect the
environment but also wildlife in Yala, warn environmentalists

By Mahangu Weerasinghe
Somewhere deep in the jungle, another tree is being felled right now. The problem is particularly acute in Kotiyagala in the drought-affected Moneragala District where continued apathy on the government's part over the rapid deforestation has seen a marked increase in logging. Villagers are stripping the forest and sending the timber to the north.

An environmental observation team that visited the area found that the deforested area had increased since last September. "The cleared area has doubled since we last visited in September 2003, with over 80 acres being cleared for chena cultivation in the last year alone," said a team member. The team wished to remain anonymous, fearing that the Forest Department officials who may be involved in the plunder would hinder their future work.

"The villager strips the ground mercilessly and without thought for the impact it has on the environment," said the team member, a leading environmentalist. Team members say they have seen this problem happening all over the south.

The Sunday Times learns that much of the timber felled in the area is sent to the north via east coast towns such as Kalmunai and Akkaraipattu. In short, the south is being plundered and the timber shipped up north, say the environmentalists.

The logging in the Kotiyagala area which acts as a buffer zone for the Yala National Park has dire effects on wildlife. Kotiyagala is a vital part of the important jungle corridor that connects the Lahugala National Park to Yala. The jungle corridor enables species to migrate from one National Park to another and this link is particularly important for the breeding of species. Further deforestation of this area could mean the permanent disruption of these links, which will have an adverse effect on animal life in the parks, warn environmentalists.

The network of national parks was once connected by what conservationists called 'The Green Belt'. When colonial rule ended, however, these connections were gradually severed due to the short-sighted policies of state officials. "One of the main problems is that politicians settle villagers in these corridors to maintain their popularity, disrupting the balance of nature and immediately causing enmity between man and beast," said an environmentalist.

"The only definite way to preserve these links is to declare them as national parks," stresses Ashley de Vos, President of the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society. "We are disturbed at the indiscriminate felling of trees taking place in the Kotiyagala area and propose that this area, along with other jungle corridors be made national reserves or sanctuaries. Although this will not directly reduce logging or resettling, it will give the Forest Department the legal backing to take action against offenders," said Mr. de Vos. The proposal to mark jungle corridors as protected reserves is currently being talked about extensively in Sri Lanka's wildlife and conservation circles.

Asked what steps the Forest Department is taking to prevent illegal tree felling in the Kotiyagala area, Conservator General of Forests Sarath Fernando said a department team had apprehended about ten people in connection with illegal logging at Kotiyagala recently. "We have also taken action to see that all the confiscated timber is handed over to the Timber Corporation," said Mr. Fernando.

The Conservator General, however, accepted that his department was unable to properly patrol the areas in and around Kotiyagala. "We have only around 1500 officers for over 1.5 million hectares of forests islandwide and naturally some things will escape our scrutiny," said Mr. Fernando. Inquiries are now, however, being made into the Kotiyagala incident. "We were not aware of the Kotiyagala scenario till the print media brought the problem to our attention," said the Conservator General.

The team of observers who visited the area recently, however, say that illegal logging is still taking place. "In fact," said one team member, "a village level official in Kotiyagala is allegedly helping the loggers."

Such corruption at grassroots level, combined with the dearth of officials at the Forest Department, may soon lead to the total rape of forests in the area. The receding forest line will eventually lead up to Yala itself, having an adverse impact on the park and its fauna.

The government should thus be looking at addressing this problem as swiftly as possible. There is no time to wait for commissions or committees. Increased funding for the Forest Department in the next budget maybe too little, too late.

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