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Sri Lanka should be paying more attention to our mangroves 

29 May 2021

World Environment Day 2021 will be commemorated on 5 June, under the theme of “Ecosystem Restoration”, accompanied by the launch of the United Nations (UN) Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Ecosystem restoration, by definition, is assisting in the recovery of ecosystems that have been degraded or destroyed, as well as conserving the ecosystems that are still intact. Healthier ecosystems with richer biodiversity yield greater benefits such as more fertile soils, bigger yields of timber and fish, and larger stores of greenhouse gases. Restoration can happen in many ways; through actively planting more fauna, or by removing pressures on fauna and ecosystems and allowing nature to recover on its own, adapting as an ecosystem, like societies need to adapt to a changing climate. With Sri Lanka being an island nation, conservation efforts are needed widely, particularly its coastal ecosystems, such as the mangroves.  In 2019, Sri Lanka hosted the First Meeting of the Mangrove Ecosystems and Livelihood Action Group (MELAG) under the Commonwealth Blue Charter, joined by eight other Commonwealth countries, namely Australia, Bangladesh, Vanuatu, the Bahamas, Nigeria, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and the UK. MELAG aims to share best practices and expand mutual co-operation in the conservation and sustainable utilisation of mangroves.  In 2020, as the lead country of the Commonwealth Blue Charter Action Group on Mangrove Ecosystems and Livelihoods, Sri Lanka was hailed as a champion country for mangroves, having already formulated a mangrove policy, guidelines, a multi-stakeholder task force, and an expert group on mangroves, establishing the world’s first mangrove museum and enacting laws to restore mangrove forests which have been converted to other uses.  Speaking with Eastern University (EUSL) Professor Dr. T. Mathivendan, who is also a member of Sri Lanka’s National Expert Committee on Mangrove Conservation, Brunch learned that Sri Lanka has gone to great lengths to supplement the conservation efforts directed at mangroves. He stated that the expert group is currently working on developing guidelines to further these efforts. He stated that, in addition, “there is a five-year action plan to be executed in collaboration with the Forest Department in regards to raising awareness on coastal habitat conservation, particularly mangroves”.    Mangroves in Sri Lanka  Mangroves are among the most productive ecosystems in the world. In Sri Lanka, mangroves occur along the sheltered inertial coastlines associated with estuaries and lagoons. The largest tracts of mangrove habitats in Sri Lanka are found in the Puttalam Lagoon, Kala Oya Basin, and Trincomalee.  Mangroves are associated with woody, seed-bearing, and highly specialised plants, and they exist in harsh environments with anaerobic soils, tidal currents, high salinity, high temperature around 30 to 35 degrees Celsius, and strong winds. Therefore, to survive and grow under such environmental conditions, mangrove plants have developed many morphological and physiological adaptations. Mangroves are resistant to some disturbances, but are very sensitive to pollution, land reclamation, and changes in local hydrology, and in Sri Lanka, there have been significant reductions of mangrove ecosystems in the past two decades due to various reasons, mainly caused by the increasing non-sustainable human activities in and around mangrove habitats. Aquaculture, agricultural expansion, urbanisation, indiscriminate discharge of pollutants, unregulated waste disposal, and illegal encroachments are some of the major threats to this unique ecosystem. The mangrove ecosystems also play a key role by maintaining a link between marine and terrestrial ecosystems. This link provides stability, not only to the mangrove habitats themselves, but also to the other related coastal ecosystems, such as seagrass beds and coral reefs. Therefore, it is vital to pay special attention to the coastal mangrove habitats to prevent further decline, considering that they represent a rich and diverse natural resource. Today, the mangrove ecosystem is facing serious threats from development pressure, and there is a national need to conserve these sensitive ecosystems for the free environmental services that they provide, particularly to the coastal communities. A reference can be made to the Bentota Green Belt, which has been a point of dispute for decades, starting from the early years when several development constructions were approved near the vicinity of the belt. The mangrove forests in Bentota are believed to be threatened as a result of unchecked growth of tourism-related activities. The Green Belt is home to a large number of coconut trees. The vast expanse of mangroves are among the wide variety of vegetation in and around the Green Belt, which provide a variety of uses and safeguards for local communities and fauna alike, providing vital ecological protection and acting as a filtration and facilitation mechanism for the ecosystem.  Notably, in 2004 when the tsunami hit Sri Lankan coasts, a direct consequence was that major parts of the coastal zone and its biophysical resources were lost or damaged. However, loss and damage in seafront areas which had coconut plantations, or thick mangrove and vegetation cover, was drastically less or non-existent in comparison to areas which did not have such shrubbery and vegetation. The presence of mangrove plantations was the reason for such minimalistic damage, acting as a natural barrier/defense mechanism.  The Green Belt in Bentota was recently brought to the attention of the public when early this year environmentalists came across a letter issued by the Additional Secretary (Environment Policy and Planning) to the Ministry of Environment with regards to acquiring a patch of mangrove land for a development project. However, speaking with Rainforest Protectors of Sri Lanka Co-Founder (Founding Member) Jayantha Wijesingha, he confirmed that, as of now, upon confirmation with the Ministry and also the Forest Department, no protected areas will be de-gazetted for any form of construction. Speaking with Sustainability Agenda (Pvt.) Ltd. President Elect. Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/Managing Director (MD) and Biodiversity Sri Lanka Senior Advisor Shiranee Yasaratne, she shared that legal custody of the mangrove ecosystems falls under a collective of authorities including the Forest Department, Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC), and the Coast Conservation Department, which together provide the protection for the mangrove ecosystems in Sri Lanka.  However, environmentalist Wijesingha stated: “Practically, there is very little protection at the grassroots level. In Sri Lanka not even the very basic guidelines issued by the Department of Coast Conservation and Coastal Resource Management are effectively followed.” He also stated that the only hope that they can currently have would most likely be fulfilled courtesy of the Presidential Task Force to transform Sri Lanka’s economy into a green socio-economy with sustainable solutions to climate change. He said that considering how we have not seen any real change happen for the past so many years, all we can do now is be optimistic about this new appointment. 

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