National parks to generate more revenue
Indunil Hewage
Sri Lanka is blessed with invaluable natural resources capable of
generating a higher income while promoting Sri Lanka as a preferred
destination for tourism industry in the world.
|
Udeni Wickramasinghe |
“The present eco-tourism facilities in the national parks in Sri
Lanka need to be enhanced to generate more revenue to the country as a
whole while giving a helping hand to support conservation efforts in the
wildlife related activities,” Agrarian Services and Wildlife Ministry
Secretary Udeni Wickramasinghe said. He said the tourism industry is
booming in the face of the prevailing peaceful environment in the
country.
Invaluable bio resources such as various valuable fauna and flora
play a bigger role to promote the tourism industry while earning
considerable foreign exchange to the country.
He made these views addressing the National Consultation Workshop
held on “Sri Lanka Wildlife Enforcement Network - linking up with South
Asia” yesterday.
Sri Lanka has been identified as a biodiversity ‘hotspot’ due to
higher diversity of flora and fauna species in the Asian region.
However, illegal wildlife trade and over exploitation of these
resources poses many socio economic problems to the country, he said.
“The effective implementation of environmentally friendly,
economically viable, socially viable, socially acceptable, well defined
management plans will lead to promote wildlife conservation efforts in
the country in a meaningful manner,” Wickramasinghe said.
“Illegal wildlife trade is on the rise and it will pose a significant
threat to our bio resources in the future, especially when considering
smuggling of wildlife for selling in international markets. Endemic
animals and plants of Sri Lanka are particularly at a high risk due to
high demand for such items in other countries. Therefore sharing
information and working together with all stakeholders including the
public is a must to combat such illegal operations, Wildlife
Conservation Department Director General Dr Chandrawansa Pathiraja said. |
