This is written as a tribute to my friend Dr. Upen de Zylva who passed away a few days ago and who throughout his life had an abiding interest in nature – in all things related to flora and fauna. He was greatly disturbed by the invasive ness of humans into the natural habitat of exclusive sites such as the Sinharaja forest reserve.

Of late there has been several references to elephant attacks and that of other wild animals such as packs of wild fox on the villagers as well as to the unpredictable climate changes which has made it difficult for the villager to work out his life in an organized way as in the past. In those times nature played out her ‘designs’ unhampered by human intervention.

The recent revival of interest in eco balance in Sri Lanka arose as a consequence of the government’s move to construct a road through the Sinharaja Forest Reserve. Back in 2013 the then Government in Sri Lanka began to construct a road inside the protected area. The construction was short lived consequent to an appeal made against the construction by the Centre for Environmental and Nature studies of Sri Lanka.  However in August 2020 the project was recommended by the newly installed government and the construction given in charge of the military.   Environmentalists and lay persons are greatly disturbed by this project which entails the movement of heavy machinery and the felling of trees within the Reserve for construction of the road both of which would disturb the environment.

The unique position of the Sinharaja reserve is that UNESCO has declared it to be the ‘last viable primary rain forest’ while it is also referred to as the ‘icon of biodiversity conservation ‘in Sri Lanka. Sinharaja forest is located in the south west in the district of Sabaragamuwa and the Southern province, Sri Lanka.Around 60% of the trees found here are endemic and many of them are considered rare. ‘Many species of wildlife is endemic to this place. This place gains its unique position among forest reserves as it is home to over 50%  of Sri Lanka’s endemic species of mammals and butterflies and as many kinds of insects, reptiles and amphibians.’ Many an endangered and rare species are found here including leopard , Indian elephant   endemic purple faced Languor, wood pigeon, green billed Coupland, SL white headed starling, SLBlue magpie, ash headed baller and SL’s broad  billed roller. It is essential that encroachment of the forest for cultivation like tea plantations, settlements and disturbance to the environment due to road construction should not be permitted because it will affect its unique situation as a forest reserve. Does not this Reserve require protection from the authorities  in order to secure its bio diversity?

At present the consternation is over the road construction from Lankagama to Neluwa, expected to be completed in 90 days without ‘harming the environment.’ Is this a realistic expectation? Experts claim that there is no way that this road can be constructed without disturbing much of the environment in the reserve. That it is necessary to preserve the biodiversity in the reserve for healthy development and for dealing with climate change is given and beyond question.  The government should consider alternatives to help those living in the reserve without affecting the balance in the reserve which benefits the entire region as well as the rest of the world. Is it possible or feasible to seek alternatives to support the villages already in the Reserve?

These issues are raised not on a confrontational note but to elicit information on what is considered a matter of great concern to the mass of people living in this planet for reasons, I hope convincingly presented above. I hope the Right to Information Act is exploited to the maximum to share the thought processes behind this strategy of this invasive action that is popularly considered a disturbance to the peace of the Reserve.

We expect no less than a frank response from this popularly elected government and the response will clear the atmosphere between the UNESCO authorities and the Lankan government as well as the numerous rumours that are circulating at the moment.  Let us hope the air will be cleared with an urgent response from the Presidential Secretariat.