Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2017-12-12

Obtaining the participation of the people to protect the forests in the Dry Zones

- In accordance with the census and statistics data of the year 2010 the total land area of the Island is 29.7%. The importance of the participation of the people for forest management has been recognized by the National Forest Policy as well and the Department of Forest Conservation has introduced various strategies for the purpose. It is essential to further implement the programmes of this nature with a view to increasing further the forest cover of the country and its sustainability.

As such, a proposal has been made to activate the 'Sri Lanka Community Forestry Programme' for the upliftment of the economic status of the community living closer to the forests and the protection of the forest. Under this programme, it is expected to take measures such as introducing livelihood methods to enhance the economic status of the rural community living in close proximity to the forests in the 17 Districts which represent the Dry Zone and the Intermediate Zone of Sri Lanka, providing the necessary training equipment for such purpose, activating home gardening and inducing the school going children to engage in forest conservation etc. Through this programme, it will be possible to provide direct economic benefits to over 20,000 persons and the conservation of about 30,000 hectares of forest land. Accordingly, the proposal made by H.E. the President Maithripala Sirisena, in his capacity as the Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment, to implement the above project at a cost of Rs.261.06 million, within the period from 2018-2020, was approved by the Cabinet.