in Sri Lanka - Ministry of Environment

different dispersal methods and found 6.5% wind dispersed species, 25.0% animal dispersedspecies and 68.5% species with doubtful dispersal mechanisms.A former Assistant Conservator of Forests, Mr. C.H. Holmes suggested that the montane forestprobably originated and developed as a lowland wet evergreen forest which subsequentlybecame much modified; the montane region, he believed, has been lifted upward by a tectonicupheaval (Holmes, 1948). This was in accordance with an earlier view that the highlandswere formed comparatively recently by vertical block uplift of the crust along a very large fault(Wadia,1941). Holmes (1956) suggested that the montane forest was a post-climax of the alowland wet evergreen forest, and considers a) the floristic affinities of the region, b) difficultiesof natural regeneration, c) better performance of sub-tropical or temperate species in themontane zone and d) theories on geological prehistory, in support of his theory. It is clear thatthis theory recognised the third peneplain which houses the montane forest as the youngesterosional terrace, as suggested by Wadia purely on geomorphological grounds. Subsequentstudies, based on the structural and morphological aspects of the third peneplain, stronglysuggested that differential upwarping and differential erosion could account for the major levelsof denudation rather than block uplift (Vitanage, 1970).Threats to Montane VegetationAt present, natural forests in the montane zone are threatened by the rapid expansion ofvegetable gardens in their vicinity encroaching upon them and the excessive extraction offirewood from them (Wijesundara, 1991). Strict control of such destructive activities is imperativeif the remaining areas of this forest type in the country are to be preserved for the future.Human DisturbancesMontane forests are surrounded by several villages and as a result many people enter into themfor various purposes. Gathering firewood from the forest for heating the houses and cooking isvery frequent. In addition to this, many trees are cut by the local inhabitants for various otherdomestic purposes such as fencing and staking their cultivations. Illicit gem mining is anotheractivity destroying the montane habitats. If these activities take place in a sustainable mannerthe effects to the natural vegetation will be minimal. Unfortunately, the scale of these activitieshas now gone beyond the sustainable level. Although all montane forests are protected areas,these activities are going on without much hindrance.The Forest Department and the Department of Wild Life Conservation, which administer thesereserves, do not seem to have sufficient staff and other resources to prevent these destructiveactivities. They are also struggling to protect the forests from illicit encroachers who are tryingto clear the land belonging to the reserves for vegetable cultivation. Despite many protests bythe public and the authorities, recently, large areas belonging to Hakgala SNR were cleared atRendapola, Ambewela, Sita Eliya and Hakgala sides.182