Deforestation is one of the most serious environmental issues in Sri Lanka. ... Between 1990 and 2000, Sri Lanka lost an average of 26,800 ha of forests per year. This amounts to an average annual deforestation rate of 1.14%. Between 2000 and 2005 the rate accelerated to 1.43% per annum.

2. What is
Deforestation?
•Deforestation is the full or large scale removal of a
forest or area of trees in order to clear land for human
development and construction works.
•Deforestation is the direct or indirect human induced
conversion of forested land to non-forested land.

3. Global Situation of Deforestation

4. Did You Know that Sri Lanka
• Has one of the highest deforestation
rates in the world
• Loses more than 1% of forest cover
each year
• Had 80% of the island covered with
forested land in 1900s, and by 2012 it
was less than 20%

7. Causes of Deforestation in Sri
Lanka
• Increase in population
• Industrialization
• Need of land for resettling people after the post
war period
• Need of more land for cultivation (slash & burn
cultivation)
• Direct cutting down of trees for domestic
purposes
• Use of wood as a fuel
• Use of timber for industries such as carpentry
• Construction of roads, highways, electricity lines,
power plants, water development projects etc.
• Insect hazards and forest diseases
• Natural disasters such as land slides, storms,
droughts, forest fires etc.
• 30 years of war (Forests in war affected areas
have been degraded)

8. Forest Clearance for resettlements and
cultivation purposes
• With the increase of population, clearing of forest areas happened
rapidly as never before.
• In the time periods of colonization large amounts of forests were
degraded for the cultivation of crops like Tea, rubber and cinnamon.
• Nowadays due to the development projects like Uma Oya irrigation
project, Mahaweli Development Project, Resettlements in Wilpattu
Forest & Several development forests in Sinharaja & Kanneliya forests
etc. deforestation occurs.

12. Forest Clearing for cultivation

13. Deforestation happens due to use of
wood as Fuel and Timber

14. Deforestation due to constructions

15. Deforestation due to insect hazards and
forest diseases

16. Deforestation due to forest fires

17. References
[1] Ariyarathna Ganegoda ,(2011),Construction Of Road Across Sinharaja Halted ,CeylonToday ,Colombo ,Sri Lanka.
[2]. Bogahawatta, C.(1999), Sri Lanka-Forestry Policy, Non-Timber Forest Products And The Rural Economy In The Wet Zone
Forests Environment And Economics Programme For Southeast Asia(EEPSEA)Research Report,Ottawa.
[3]. Bringer Leon ,(2013),Water Holes Around MattalaClosed To Keep Away Birds And Animals, Sunday Times
,Http://Www.Sundaytimes.Lk/130407/News/Water-Holes-Around-Mattala-Closed-To-Keep-Away-Birds-And-Animals40385.Html.
[4]. CI Fact, (2011), Conservation International, Sri Lanka. [
5]. Daily News , (2014),Herbal Forest Destroyed ,Http://Www.Dailynews.Lk/Local/Herbal-Forest-Destroyed.
[6]. IUCN,(2014).World Bio diversity hotspot ,www.IUCN.com
[7]. Lindstrom Sara, (2011), Tropical Deforestation In Sri Lanka A Minor Field Study Investigating The Impact Of Small Scale
Farmers, University Of Gothenburg, Sweden.
[8]. Mongabay .( 2014), Rainforests.Mongabay.Com/20srilanka.Htm. Impact of Development on deforestation in Sri Lanka: An
analytical study www.iosrjournals.org 39 | Page
[9]. National Physical Plane Policy, (2002), National Physical Planning Department, Ministry Of Western Region, Colombo,
[10]. Ranasingha D.M.S ,(1998) ,Environment concern in the accelerated mahaweli project, Department of Forestry and
Environment Science ,University of Sri Jayawardanapura,Sri Lanka.
[11]. SivanathenVijayaluxmi ,(2013)Environmentalists See No „Birdie‟ In Golf Project, The Nation , Sri Lanka
[12]. The Island (2011), Govt. Encouraging Businessmen To Destroy Forests – Environmentalists, Colombo.
[13]. Vitarana. K.M,(1997), Forestry Sector Master Plan And Ngos, The Island,Colombo Sri Lanka.
[14]. William .J (2006), Ecological Censes Techniques‟, Cambridge University Press.
[15]. Http://Wildreach.Blogspot.Com/2011/08/Govt-Encouraging-Businessmen-To-Destroy.Html).

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