English - Convention on Biological Diversity

The ADB funded Forest Resources Management Project (FRMP)Under this project, capacity building of the Forest Department (FD) (as the main beneficiary), targeted awareness and extension(Article 13), agroforestry (Article 10(b)), rehabilitation of degraded forests (Article 8(f)), buffer zone development throughparticipatory community programmes (Article 8(e)), boundary demarcation of natural forests and forest plantations (relevant forArticles 8(b) and 8(c)) and capacity building for forest management (relevant for Articles 8 as a whole). Skills training was viatechnical assistance (TA) provided to the FD in the form of expatriate and local senior level expertise in the fields of forestryeducation, forest management and the revision and improvement of the curricula at the Sri Lanka Forestry Training Institute (SLFI).Assistance was specifically provided for integrated management planning and biometrics, planning and project implementation, datacollection and collation, database development and management via technology development (for GIS databases); public awarenessand extension, developing technology for research, ecosystem and biodiversity management, participatory forestry and institutionalcapacity building, and for improving the database established through the NCR. Overall. about 500 FD staff have received specialtraining and skills development through this project in this regard. The project also had a training programme for capacity buildingon an annual basis, through both local and overseas training.The FRMP also provided equipment and other facilities in-kind, including computers and equipment for field survey, inventory andcommunication. Financial assistance has been provided to the FD to enhance nature based tourism at Sinharaja, Knuckles andKanneliya forest reserves with the involvement of local people.Source: Thematic Assessment Report on Biodiversity, MoENR, 2007Asian Development Bank (ADB,) the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and the Netherlands Governmentfunded Protected Area Management and Wildlife Conservation (PAM&WLC) ProjectThe main beneficiary from this project was the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWLC). The key objectives of the project were: (a)enhancing institutional capacity in the DWLC for wildlife management, (b) promoting participatory adaptive management, (c) facilitatingcollaborative conservation planning, and (d) sustainable financing for community partnership building. Institutional strengthening and humanresource development for PA management has been achieved at the DWLC by updating staff knowledge, providing staff training, buildingtechnical and managerial competence in the DWLC, and development of institutional potential. Adaptive management has been pilottested at several pilot PAs (PPAs), namely the Peak Wilderness Nature Reserve, Horton Plains National Park, Ritigala Strict NatureReserve, Bundala National Park, Wasgamuwa National Park, Minneriya - Kaudulla National Park complex, and the Udawalawe NationalPark (relevant for Article 8, mainly 8(b)) for habitat enrichment, including management of alien invasive species and pilot research oninvasive species eradication (Article 8(h)) , grassland establishment and enhancing water and fodder for animals. The project enhancedcommunity participation in PA conservation, and facilitated buffer zone community development (relevant for Article 8(e)). The projectalso developed visitor service plans for the PPAs, and enhanced visitor facilities by establishing visitor centres with interpretive material atseven PPAs (relevant for Article 13). Under the project, the DWLC has been assisted to carry out detailed biodiversity assessments andhabitat mapping in seven PPAs to pilot test systematic monitoring of biodiversity and to enable PA zoning (relevant for Article 7). Thegap analysis carried out under this project also helped to assemble a strategic portfolio of conservation sites for Sri Lanka (relevant forArticle 7(a)).Source: Borrower’s Project Completion Report on the ADB funded PAM&WC Project..B.4.2 PoWPA Goal 1.2 - To integrate protected areas into broader land-and seascapes and sectorsso as to maintain ecological structure and function.Status of actions taken/in progressThe landscape approach had been considered during the establishment of National Parks in the MahaweliRegion by the DWLC in the 1980s. However, management has not adopted this approach here or elsewhere inthe country, although ecological connectivity for a network of PAs is now being looked into (see GAP Analysisabove). Areas in Buffer Zones of protected areas have also been covered by management plans prepared forPAs. There has also been an attempt to adopt the landscape approach to conservation at the Horton PlainsNational Park by getting the participation of landowners around the national park and the involvement of otherstate departments managing lands in the landscape.Getting the required cross-sectoral and multi-stakeholder participation has proved an impediment in adoptingFourth National Report to the CBD: Sri Lanka Appendix IIIxv