To save a tree in Sri Lanka

Lots of development seems to be happening in Sri Lanka. Colombo has seen a lot of change as well - it actually looks nice with the paved streets and open spaces. I did however see the negative sides of it. I saw the forest area near my home in Battaramulla vanish. You go there now, its organized and nice but the natural habitat and all the life forms within are lost, forever. You hear about it here. 

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The other day after breakfast I happened to see people climbing a huge Tamarind Tree near my house cutting away the branches. I knew there was something not right. When I inquired my hunch was right, they were about to cut the tree down. How did I stop it? 

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Here are some tips for you. 

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1. No one can just cut down a tree. You need to get permission. I was able to halt the people from cutting the tree by first asking if they had permission. I said if they hadn't then I would report them. No one would dare ignore this as you end up getting your equipment confiscated and possibly a jail term and/or fine. 

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2. Try not to be agro. Cool and calm is the way forward. Share your side of the story and find a win win. Sometimes you need to take the tab for payment if you halt something halfway, well I did. 

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3. Buying some time is crucial. With that you can do 'work' to get the tree saved. 

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4. Ruk Rakagannao was awesome, however in the end the Divisional Secretary holds the most amount of power to save a tree. They will work through the Grama Sevaka and decide on the outcome. You can also go the forestry department and department of wild life. 

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5. Its important that you get the backing of as many people as possible. Use all the contacts after which use them to add more weight to your plea. 

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6. It can be good to start a petition as well. An idea can be to use Avaaz. You can also work with Ruk Rakaganno and Rain Forest Protectors. 

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7. Spread the word using online media. Its so easy. It also helps to get like minded people involved. 

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8. Dont lose hope. 

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9. If you lose the effort, remember, dont get discourage but keep pressing on. One day there will be change. .

The tree is over 200 years old. My grandfather had told my father that this tree was there even when his grandfather was alive and that it needs to be cared for.

Sri Lanka's Jane Goodall of the Ocean!

Asha's doing amazing work in Sri Lanka.

The Buddha Weeps (We may kite but we also care).

Sri Lanka is an epic land. It has the highest rates of biological endemism in the world inspite of it being a fairly small place. We also have an epic history in terms of conservation.

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Sri Lanka's heritage of wildlife protection runs as far back as 2200 years. The first wildlife sanctuary in world at Mihintale in Anuradhapura was was created by the King Devanam Piya Tissa following the arrival of Buddhism to the island from northern India.

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Throughout the history of the nation, all animals & plants in the sanctuaries of the island were left undisturbed in line of the basic right to life of all beings & conservation ethics of Buddhism, the taking of life being anathema to Buddhist beliefs. Records of the wildlife protection are found even in the great Sinhalese chronicle of Mahawamsa.

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Fast forward to present day Sri Lanka. Our leaders seem to have forgotten the rich heritage of our ancestors who took great steps to preserve flora and fauna. While I cycle on the road from Mount Lavinia to Battaramulla, I was shocked and almost in tears to see a sanctuary being bulldozed right in front of my eyes. In the background in the Parliment of Sri Lanka - where decisions are being made on the future of the this country.

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I observed how it seems that this last bit of natural forest in urban Sri Lanka is being cleared to build a road to the parliment. It is not like there is no road already. There is a 4 lane road with zero traffic congestion and there these people go build another road to attend to parliment meetings!

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Dear Sirs, do you know know the value of environment in this day and age? Do you not know the urgency in ensuring that the last bit of wetlands need to be protected? Do you not know that the thousand of tourist who come here come not for gambling or cricket but for the natural beauty this country has to offer? This is our core competence, something that no other country can replicate - and yet we rape the forest and build roads through them!

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If the Buddha was here today, he would be weeping. Weeping because of the damage you are doing. Airport near National Parks? Roads through World Heritage Sites like Sinharaja? A pavillion and car park at Main Point in Arugam Bay? This is not the way forward. In fact these are huge steps in the opposite direction. Natural resources, once gone, is gone forever.

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The Buddha, Jesus and countless others lived in nature, they understood the value of it. Go out in the open. Camp on the Beach and Jungle, experience nature not in the comfort of a SUV or fancy hotel. You will never understand it otherwise.

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You will be accountable in this life or the next. Make decisions wisely. Time is not on our side. Nature cannot thrive and support us if we do not respect it.

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I continued to cycle and saw how the Sri Jayawardanepura & Baddegana Sanctuaries are becoming desserts full of dust. I looked into my favourite crytal clear creek to see the Giant Snakeheads (Lulas). The water was brown, they I presume all dead due to the road work that is going on. You killed them and countless other animals and plants. Sad.

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Its not too late to get your act together. I leave you with the words of our Great Leaders;

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'O Great King, the birds of the air & the beasts have an equal right to live & move about in any part of this land as thou. The lands belongs to the peoples & all other beings & thou art only the guardian of it" said Arahat Mahinda to Kind Devanam Piya Tissa, the famous "Deer Hunter" (307-266 BC)

What the area cleared looked like. Lush.

Dont tell me its not protected, there are signs all over.
Dear President you and your Government declared it in 2010.

Raping the last remaining natural resources of urban Sri Lanka.
The parliment stand in the backgroud. I wonder who made this decision.

Lush on one side. Dessolate on the other.
My favourite creek all gone brown and dirty.

Signage reading that is a protected area and the bulldozes just
work clearing the flora and fauna

Blossomed and Withered - The Reality of Tourism going out of Hand in Sri Lanka

The end of the 30 year conflict in Sri Lanka brought about new hopes to a land known for its beauty. I never saw the true beauty of my country due the war and now, finally, all doors are open and our country is open to all to cherish the beauty that this land has to offer.

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I started my snorkel session in Trincomalee, headed to Batticoloa and then Kalpitiya. I was saddened. The beauty that brought about so much joy and warmth to my heart has been its downfall. Thousands of tourist itching to get a piece of our lands beauty has given way to a rat race that now engulfs and now overwhelms the fragile eco systems.

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Believe it or not, the war actually protected these eco systems from destruction. Nowadays we see boat loads of people venturing to Pigeon Island who not only view the ‘Marine Sanctuary’ but also litter the small island paradise with plastic and garbage. This plastic makes it way out into the sea causing death and suffering to many innocent victims. Worse still, they start to take souvenirs – a piece of Coral – Live Coral, home to adorn their homes. Even though they look like plants or rock, Live corals are living and breathing animals like you and I.

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The boats – unregulated will just killed the coral reef. Very soon the coral will die, the marine life whither away and all that would be left would be a barren reef.

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Unregulated boats are not a thing of the east – it’s been happening for years in places like Hikkaduwa. I had always been cautioned by my father – ‘be careful of the glass bottom boats’, not because they pollute but because they are killers in the ocean! You can just snorkel in Hikkaduwa, you have to keep an eye on the irresponsible boatman who whiz past. Just last week, another (and I repeat another) tourist was run over by a glass bottom boat. Regulation? It’s non existent in what we call a ‘Marine Sanctuary’.

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North and South of Hikkaduwa – to Mirrissa and Kalpitiya – we see unregulated boat services chasing after Dolphins and Whales. Very soon, these majestic creatures would venture off or worse still perish at the hands of short sighted and uneducated ‘tour operators’ of the areas.

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As much as Sri Lanka is known for its National Parks, be it Yala or Udawalawe, Diving can also be developed to attract a considerable amount of tourists. Sadly the sport has not been given much recognition or support. Most dive sites are been lost due to short sighted financial gains. A good example is the ‘Earl of Shaftesbury’ off the coast in Batticoloa – a 700 foot ship off the coast of Mullativu – which has given government approval to be salvaged.

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Such sunken treasures are a wonderful heaven to colourful creatures that take refuge in it's wake. Once a disaster to a crew of many people on board the ship with time turns into a miracle of nature. The surrounding corals and fish engulf the ship and take seige of this mystery to themselves and yes it is their home.

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As of now a shipwreck home to many creatures a possible huge money making venture to the tourist industry is being salvage in Pulmudai.

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There are some wrecks that are special to Sri Lanka which result in tourists arriving from all parts of the world just to dive and discover their hidden beauties. So, why waste away such a valuable natural resource that our country should treasure and hold.

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Letting the ship wrecks remain as it is could attract recreational divers from all parts of the world. Arthur C Clarke talks about Trincomalee and Galle where many ship wrecks exist. Ship wrecks also act as a kind of coral reef which in the subsequent years attracts shoals of marine life which only increases the value and diversity of the oceans.

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We have the capacity to become a huge money making diving destination. The wonders and mystery that lies beneath our oceans match that of countries like thailand who take advantage of the treasures of the underwater world by conserving it. This is a vast source of money for our tourist industry. Truly it is a treasure that lies beneath, colourful wonders far beyond our wildest expectations.

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We cannot think short term. We cannot let industries be unregulated. It is time for the Environmental and Tourism Minister to work together to come about common legislator to manage our country’s fragile eco systems. Perhaps we should take our whole cabinet on a diving excursion like the government of Maldives to instill values of Environmental Consciences and Respect.
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Sri Lanka, Blossom? That’s a sure thing, Withered? That’s our choice. Let’s start today. Make a difference, make a change. Let’s protect Sri Lanka’s natural wonders.

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Dilsiri Welikala

April 2010

In the Pictures - Majestic Sunrise on the East Coast - Arugam Bay