Kalutara to have first wildlife sanctuary
Suraj A Bandara
The Kodigahakanda forest in the Olabouwa North Grama Niladhari
division in Horana will be declared a sanctuary in November under the
Forest Conservation Department, MEDEF President K.Munagama told the
Daily News.
"This is the first wildlife sanctuary in the Kalutara district," he
said.
Kodigahakanda bio-diversity centre at Gonapola was opened by Kalutara
district Parliamentarian Vidura Wickramanayake on Sunday.
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Various types of flora and fauna found
in Kodigahakanda forest. Picture by Nissanka Wijerathna |
Kodigahakanda Conservation Society and Mihithala Mithuro
Environmental Development Foundation (MEDEF) with the financial support
of Global Environmental Foundation (GEF) through United Nation's
Development Program (UNDP), built this centre to conserve the
biodiversity of the forest with the participation of the regional
community. The initial financial allocation for the centre was Rs 1.5
million.
Kodigahakanda is an 18 acre secondary scrub jungle on top of a
granite based hill rock, 378 feet above sea-level at its highest point.
It is located in a 600 acre coconut plantation. Though the land belongs
to philanthropist Rohan De Soyza, he has kept the forest without
exploiting it for economic gains. He had wanted to keep the jungle
unharmed for the benefit of diverse creatures living there.
According to studies, the forest has 133 varieties of flora,18 types
of reptiles, 4 types of amphibians, 16 types of fish, 45 types of
butterflies, 72 types of birds and 17 types of mammals.
The villagers of the region had established the Kodigahakanda
Conservation Community Foundation and Mihithala Mithuro Environmental
Development Foundation 16 years ago to minimize the harm caused to the
forest.
Kalutara district Parliamentarian Vidura Wickramanyaka addressing the
opening ceremony of the biodiversity centre, said the government should
have a firm and clear policy on environment and a productive dialogue
among the public to preserve the environment for the next generation. A
memorandum will be presented to Parliament to declare Horana as a
special environment region, he said.
The Global Environment Fund through its Small Grants Programme (SGP)
provided grants to Kodigahakanda biodiversity center to improve the
global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods.
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