4,000 hectares of land in Knuckles Range to be conserved
 

by Florence Wickramage

The Environment and Natural Resources Ministry commenced work on the acquisition of around 4,000 hectares of land in the Knuckles Range brought under cardamom cultivation.

This is part of the Ministry's programme to develop the 11,000 ha. Knuckles Range as an environmental-friendly eco-tourism area on Environment and Natural Resources Minister A.H.M. Fowzie's instructions.

An increase in visitor arrivals has been recorded in the Knuckles Range due to the Little World's End within. It has been observed that visitors making their way through Pitawela Pathana has resulted in many varieties of important medicinal yams and herbs being destroyed.

In addition, fauna peculiar to the Knuckles Range is also being threatened by the constant flow of visitors through Pitawela Pathana. The Thelgamuwa Oya in the scenic Riverston area of the Knuckles is being polluted by various human activities and throwing of garbage.

The Forest Department has already established an alternate roadway for visitors to reach the Little World's End.

In the development programme, the Ministry has mapped out for the Knuckles Range the establishment of a Visitor Centre, for which Fowzie laid the foundation stone during a recent inspection tour of the area. Work has also commenced on the construction of other visitor facilities such as restrooms and toilets.