Degradation of forest layer in Sri Lanka. 1) Introduction.

Deforestation is the process of removing well grown trees and under-matured plants in forest area in rate which is greater than regeneration rate of them. The long term continuation would result in transforming once flora-fauna saturated lands into deserted plains. //For the record Sri Lankan rain forests are currently remain at the 9th position of most endangered list. Causes Commercial agriculture. Construction for accommodation. Timber industry Construction for infrastructure facilities (e.g.-roads).

The root cause for all these causes is the emanating population increase in the country throughout the years. However the officials are very optimistic about the decline of the population growth rate which once expected to be steady (zero growth rate) by 2010.In spite of that yet the deforestation rate is accelerating while green cover is continue to disappear from Lankan soil down falling the countys ecological value.// 2) Hypothesis. Many stories that we hear today via various resources demonstrate the harm that we have done to our ecosystem. Unfortunate situation is in most of these cases the people who supposed to protect these, are involve in demolishing countrys national assets despite the fact that they are being owned by the citizens equally. //Driven by the corruption and unquenchable thirst to grab more, these so called legitimate people are involving in attempts of betraying their own mother nature.// Whenever a case has caught public attention in spite of countless efforts of responsible figures to keep away from people due to immense courage of concerned parties, the legal bodies for nature protection and conversation tend to pass the blame to other institutions to claim their cleanliness regarding the matter. Ever since the British rulers left the country the aforementioned facts have become the cause roots for severe loss of green cover to rank Sri Lanka among nations with highest deforestation rates. 3) Objective. In this report the author expects to acknowledge the existing situation to the general public and responsible figures so that the concerned personal from both categories would be able to form an alliance to overcome the issues, through which the national policy on environmental protection could be strengthen.

4) Methodology. The details in this report are extracted from both printed and electronic sources, which state about the detrimental activities that has been commiting towards the surrounding environment. As far as these incidents are reported from various regions, often such news possess considerable share of both daily and weekend newspapers. So it was an ideal platform to use to set up the foundation for this report. Meanwhile the works of environmentalists, who have published their findings in the internet, were hugely useful when considering the perspective of related data.

5) Data Analysis. Historical accounts evidence there had existed a 75% of forest cover of total land area, which found misfortune since the British colonial rulers undertook the countrys legitimate power, who ordered to clear of canopy layer in order to provide the space for commercial agriculture and infrastructure development. Since then this valuable asset that regulate atmospheric air composition has neither secured nor maintained its share on Sri Lankan soil according to following data which have been extracted from Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) a new international mechanism founded along with adoption of 2011 as the year for forests and reserves.

Sri Lanka Forest Figures

Forest Cover Total forest area: 1,933,000 ha % of land area: 29.9% Primary forest cover: 167,000 ha % of land area: 2.6% % total forest area: 8.6% Deforestation Rates, 2000-2005 Annual change in forest cover: -29,800 ha Annual deforestation rate: -1.5% Change in defor. rate since '90s: 25.5% Total forest loss since 1990: -417,000 ha Total forest loss since 1990:-17.7% //Primary or "Old-growth" forest

Annual loss of primary forests: -6000 ha Annual deforestation rate: -3.0% Change in deforestation rate since '90s: 30.5% Primary forest loss since 1990: -30,000 ha Primary forest loss since 1990:-35.0%// 6) Conclusion. Forest cover in Sri Lanka is peeling off in an accelerating rate due to irresponsible behavior possessed by its own citizens who belong to various economic, social and legitimate layers. Nowadays many countries are facing the repercussions of letting green layer decline. The rising rate of natural disasters creating more and more environmental refugees than ever before. So people who are responsible to resolve these matters, whom belong to whatever institution which is related, should carry out proper feasibility studies to control then to overcome the existing and predicted threats against this great national asset, without hesitation.

7) (Recommendation and Suggestions). Town and country planning activities should conduct in manner that the surrounding eco system incurs least impacts meanwhile a space for public and environmentalists comments should be reserved and comments should be considered before development projects. Law enforcement against environmental crimes should be strict; such cases should be free of political interference. Public awareness campaigns should be launched to acknowledge people on existing challenges and ways of overcoming them.