Life on earth is impossible without trees. Besides proving shelter for wildlife and livelihoods for humans, it has a great impact on our survival. The ecosystem services provided by forests are critical to human welfare, as they provide sustainable livelihoods for people in many ways starting from the air we breathe to the wood we use.
Forests protect watersheds and contribute to freshwater supplies by filtering and regulating water, act as a storehouse for carbon, help save energy by cooling the air, prevent soil erosion, mitigate climate change, act as an air filter and remove harmful pollutants in the air and particulates, reduce noise pollution by being a shield for homes from roads and industrial areas, serve as a buffer in natural disasters like floods, provide energy through fire-wood, provide food and medicine for local populations and animals, help to maintain and increase biodiversity, generate tourism and build economies, encourage active and healthy lifestyles by preventing diseases and improving mental health, and also provide a place for people to socialize.
- The ecosystem services provided by forests are critical to human welfare
- Life on earth is impossible without trees
- the Department of Wild Life Conservation was established to manage the forest areas
About 1.6 billion of the world’s population depends on forests mainly for food, firewood, fibre, water and medicine. Despite this, people allow them to slowly disappear by destroying millions of hectares of forests every year. Although 80% of the terrestrial biodiversity lives in forests, many species go extinct as a result of the forests being destroyed.
Unplanned development led construction and urbanization could face a number of problems
History of forests and nature conservation in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka’s heritage of fauna and flora protection runs as far back as 2200 years when the first (fauna & flora) wildlife sanctuary in the world was created at Mihintale, 12 km east of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Anuradhapura by King Devanam Piyatissa (307-266 BC); long before Chief Seattle the Native American Chief made his statement about humans living in harmony with nature and land.
After the British invasion, a number of efforts, have been taken for conservation of forest resources in Sri Lanka. The major intervention was enforcing the Forest Ordinance in 1885, and Fauna and Flora ordinance in 1937. In 1947 the Department of Wild Life Conservation was established to manage the forest areas which are essential for Wild Life conservation and tourism. In 1881, the forest cover in Sri Lanka was 71% and the human population was 3.5 million. In 1956 the forest cover diminished to 44%, in 1992 to 33%, and then recorded as 29.7% at the last forest cover assessment carried out in 2015. Increasing human population pressure, large-scale agricultural and irrigation development projects, and roads and urban development programs have resulted in the sharp reduction of forest cover in Sri Lanka. About 1,200 years ago during the era of the kings, the popular concept was “Reservoir- Pagoda-Cropping land” (Wava-Dagaba-Ketha), where land areas were set aside and defined for specific purposes such as water catchment, agriculture, settlement, development etc.
According to the United Nations, half of humanity (around 3.5 billion people) live in cities today. By 2030, almost 60% of the world’s population will live in urban areas, and 95% of urban expansion in the next decades will take place in the developing world. The world’s cities occupy just 3% of the Earth’s land but account for 60-80% of energy consumption and 75% of carbon emissions. Rapid urbanization is exerting pressure on freshwater supplies, sewage, the living environment, and public health.
International Day of Forests 2018 – Key message
On 28th of November, 2012, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed March 21 as the “International Day of Forests” to raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests for the benefit of current and future generations. Highlighting the importance of forests, trees and greenery in urban areas, this year the International Day of Forests will address the theme “Forests for sustainable cities”.
-Why we need sustainable cities?
Unplanned development led construction and urbanization could face a number of problems and questions such as unplanned settlements, traffic congestion, increased waste resources, weakened social control and discipline, limited social services such as housing, water supply, sanitation, education, and medical facilities, create chaos in land-use patterns and contribute to environmental challenges such as natural disasters, climate change, and pollution.
Urban environments are more complex and are subjected to strong human influence. The rapid worldwide urbanization of the human population raises concerns about the sustainability of cities. Urban forestry initiatives have seen a noteworthy level of evolution in Europe and USA. Urban forestry is a challenge and not the same approach will fit all, therefore, each country will have to find its own path. People should understand that investing in and maintaining urban forests is beneficial because healthy urban forests’ can be enjoyed by generations.
In 1881, the forest cover in Sri Lanka was 71% and the human population was 3.5 million
- “Forests for sustainable cities” and ESCAMP
In relation to this years’ theme - “Forests for Sustainable Cities’’ - the Ecosystem Conservation and Management Project (ESCAMP) implemented by the Forest Department, and the Department of Wildlife Conservation, addresses some of these issues in our country, mainly through its component on “Pilot Landscape Planning and Management”.
The goal of ESCAMP is to inspire and advance the conservation and management of ecosystems in Sri Lanka and help people - to better understand the value of forests in their surroundings, to their own lives, health, economies and well-being of their communities by protecting and expanding ecosystems, managing forests through reforestation, and increasing the understanding of the importance of forests. The values of ESCAMP are to design with nature and culture, use a decision-making hierarchy for preservation, conservation, provide regenerative systems, support a living process, use a collaborative and ethical approach, and foster environmental stewardship.
Although we have formed an International Day of Forests and heading towards progress, it is essential to know that trees don’t grow up overnight, and there is still a long way to go. Every positive action we take is a step toward healing our planet. By caring for nature, we care for ourselves, therefore, protecting the trees on our planet should be a real priority for all of us, since a little care could go a long way.
