Dear children

Today we carry a photograph of little Manodya Ranasinghe who was paid for her honesty - not in terms of money but with a gift. (See story on page 11). Honesty is a trait that should be inculcated in children from the time they are small. Children, it is paramount that everyone of us should be honest in every act and carry this out into the future. Manodya is a good example for children to follow.

Aunty Merle

International: Wetlands day

February 3 was declared International Wetlands Day. The majority of wetlands in Sri Lanka are facing various threats due to harmful human activities such as encroachment, habitat deterioration, degradation, pollution, direct loss, exploitation of species, spread of invasive alien species and destruction due to natural phenomena.

Working on the assumption that the protection and management of such large and diverse habitats and ecosystems such as wetlands requires active community participation, the main objectives of the SLWCS Wetlands Conservation Project are to develop a new model for sustainable conservation of wetlands with the following goals:

The protection of wetlands in Sri Lanka, the promotion of sustainable use of wetlands, the strengthening of rural institutions and promoting cooperative governance and community involvement in the conservation of wetlands. is a priority. There is also a category known as 'Villu' wetlands. These are quite large lakes which are floodplain lakes that could be seen on river bends. These are prominent in the Mahaweli floodplain in the East of the country.

Freshwater marshes also come under this category; they are shallow depressions (sunken areas) that get fed by river floodwater or groundwater seepage. The Muthurajawela Marsh is a classic example of such a freshwater marsh.

Another type called 'freshwater swamp forests', which is in fact a later stage of the freshwater marshes, are also found. In this stage, certain trees adapt to thrive in the shallow stagnant water of the marsh. The Walauwa-Watta Wathurana Swamp Forest, located in the Kalu Ganga basin, is a good example of this type and it is said that freshwater swamp forests are the rarest type of wetlands in the country.

There is also a category known as 'Villu' wetlands.

These are quite large lakes which are floodplain lakes that could be seen on river bends. These are prominent in the Mahaweli floodplain in the east of the country.

-Internet