By Sarah HannanThe long-awaited extraordinary gazette notification approving the expansion of the Sinharaja conservation area was released yesterday (15). 2150/31 of 20 November 2019, which officially increases the Sinharaja conservation area from 11,000 to 35,000 hectares.”A total of 36,474.93 hectares was bound by the limit set forth in Schedules 1 and 2 of the said gazette notification from 11 November 2019. Accordingly, action has been taken to transfer Dellawa, Thawalama, Morapitiya-Runakanda, Varathelgoda Mukalana, Neluketiya Mukalana, Delmella-Yatagampitiya, Ayagama, Karavita, Delwala, Kudumiriya, Masimbula, and Maguruganga to the proposed Sinharaja National Heritage Site. The gazette notification was signed to increase the land area of the national heritage forest reserve to approximately 35,000 hectares by linking 13 proposed forest reserves around the Sinharaja National Heritage Reserve. It was decided to consolidate the surrounding forests around the Sinharaja Forest and now all these forest systems are considered part of Sinharaja.

Source: The Nation November 15, 2020 21:45 UTC