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| Sunday, 31 July 2005 |
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Compiled by Shanika Sriyananda Mangroves -natural barrier against tidal waves by Shanika Sriyananda People living in Ollewa, Ittapana and Meegama in the Southern Province did not care much about mangrove forests around their villages. Fish, fruits, vegetables, medicines and fuelwood were the few benefits, they thought they could derive from these forests. But, after the tsunami, they have stopped clearing mangroves as these forests act as barriers to protect their villages from giant waves. Now, they know the value of having mangrove forests around their villages and the immense benefits which poor people can get to earn some extra income. Most importantly, now they protect mangroves and plant as much as they can because they are aware that these forests stabilize shorelines, regulate the ground water, control floods and protect their villages from strong winds. Poor knowledge among the people made them destroy the forests, which are rich in both fauna and flora diversity. The clearing of mangroves for firewood, shrimp farms and expansion of agriculture are the major threats to the country's mangroves. Before the tsunami, neither the villagers nor the State institutions gave serious thoughts to protect 87 kilometre long mangrove forests in the country. There are over 14 species of true mangroves and 12 species of mangrove associates in Sri Lanka. Now with novel projects coming up to expand and protect mangrove forests along the coastal belt placing proper values for mangroves villagers surrounded by mangrove forests are waking up. The Environment and Economic Consultancy Service (EECS) jointly with the Forest Department, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and the United Nations Environment Program has launched a project to create market opportunities for the people living around mangrove forests. "No one will protect anything unless there is some financial gain. People living around mangroves need to be educated on ways and means of gaining income through mangrove based products", says Dr. D.M.S. Batagoda of the EECS. According to Dr. Batagoda, the objective of the project is to create innovative market opportunities for mangrove communities as an incentive for sustainable mangrove forest management and conservation while coordinating with all stakeholders of mangroves conservation. Developing an integrated model to establish the relationship between biophysical, ecological and socio-economic systems of mangrove tropical forests, mobilising communities to promote public participation in mangrove management, poverty alleviation and food security of mangrove communities through the promotion of cottage industries to produce mangrove forest products, introduction of mangrove based eco-tourism programme with local community participation and development of a strategy to realise the non-use benefits of mangroves and use the revenue for community benefits and mangrove conservation are some of the programs of the EESC to restore the mangrove forest cover of the country. According to Dr. Batagoda, restoration of mangrove forests has the potential to generate carbon removal units and this will help to develop Clean Development Mechanism under Kyoto Protocol. " A pilot project of 10 hectares to replant mangroves with the community participation has been designed", he adds. A pilot project has commenced to create market opportunities for mangrove based industries to uplift the living standards of over 2035 families in Ollewa, Meegama and Ittapana in the Kalutara District under the EECS project. People engaged in turning out masks and small ornaments using 'kaduru' wood will be given new market opportunities while improving and introducing new methods to manufacture kirala fruit juice, jam, pickle, and yoghurt. Kekatiya and karan koku, which are water plants, will be packed properly and sold in the local markets. Medicinal herbs - lunuwila and neeramulliya will be re-grown in mangrove forests. Reed based weaving industry is the other section which will develop under this project. People will be encouraged to manufacture ordinary travelling bags as an alternative to polythene bags. "To protect bio-diversity of the mangrove forests the economic conditions of the people should be improved and they would not harm the resources that generate income. Then only we can talk about conserving of mangrove forests", says Dr. Batagoda. Under the project, school children and communities will be educated on mangrove conservation, sustainable fishing, mangrove re-planting, conservation of coastal eco-systems and sustainable collection of mangrove forest products. ************ Tsunami debris: where to dump? December 26 tsunami, which piled up huge mounds of debris and sea sand, has created a serious disposal problem to local authorities in the affected areas. However, heaps of rubble over 500 million kilos has created bickering between State organisations over proper disposal. Some measures have been taken but there is a need for waste management strategy especially for tsunami debris. Some have been made use in road repairs and in playgrounds in the Southern Province. Amidst strong criticisms by some environmentalists tons of debris have been dumped in forests without considering the ecological importance. Barren paddy fields which will be utilized to construct houses for the tsunami victims were filled with debris and sea sand. The Central Environmental Authority has implemented a set of guidelines as how to dispose waste material in the aftermath of the tsunami. The local authorities, however, cleared the debris in some areas in a haphazard manner creating more environmental problems. The Forest Department is likely to take action against local authorities. Meanwhile, the Land Reclamation Corporation were against the decision of the Urban Development Authority to fill low-lying areas with debris and called for Environmental Impact Assessments on each site. In many areas, according to a 'Post-Tsunami Rapid Environmental Assessment' by the United Nations Development Program with assistance from scientists from universities has clearly stated that the clean-up operations in these areas have blocked drainage channels and pose a risk of waterlogging resulting in loss of agricultural land. Since we do not have a national policy on waste management, it is time to share the experiences beyond our shores as to how other countries managed with tsunami debris. According to reports, Thailand beaches are more clean, tidy and the disaster opened the way to an environmental friendly redevelopment. It is a shame that even after seven-months, the local authorities are still groping in the dark without finding suitable sites to dump debris. However, the need of the hour is to set time frames for each tsunami re-building activity and to stop passing the ball to the other court but to get the maximum support from all state institutions involved in this sphere. And... also the need to 'deploy' dedicated, efficient and intelligent experts and officers in the government sector to these institutions to expedite the rebuilding process. Otherwise, the rebuilding of the tsunami hit areas will go from generation to generation. |
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