World · Sri Lanka Bureau
Sri Lanka to gazette 20 forests as official nature reserves
The Ministry of Environment is set to formally gazette 20 forests spanning approximately 9,538 hectares as protected reserves. The designation marks a significant step in the nation's conservation efforts.
LSN Sri Lanka ·
Sri Lanka's Ministry of Environment will gazette 20 forests as official nature reserves, according to an announcement made by the ministry. The gazettal, scheduled for tomorrow, will formally protect forests covering an estimated 9,538 hectares across the country.
The move represents an expansion of Sri Lanka's protected area network, bringing additional forests under state management and conservation protocols. By gazetting these areas as official reserves, the government aims to strengthen legal protections for these ecosystems and their biodiversity.
The designation of forest reserves carries implications for land use management, wildlife protection, and environmental conservation across the affected regions. The formal gazettal process establishes these areas within Sri Lanka's regulatory framework for protected natural spaces.
Details regarding the specific locations of the 20 forests and their individual sizes have not yet been disclosed. The ministry's action underscores continued governmental focus on environmental protection and sustainable resource management as part of broader conservation initiatives.