Project Detail

Protecting the Herpetofaunal Point Endemic Species for Strengthening the Conservation Status of the Knuckles Landscape.

Knuckles landscape, is the home for many point endemic species of fauna and flora (29 species up to now) discovered so far and many more species that remain to be discovered.

Following main threats identified in this area. There are Illegal constructions within the Knuckles landscape, Cardamom and tea plantations, Uncontrolled illegal gem mining, Forest fires, Introduction and spread of Invasive alien species (IAS), Poaching, Collecting important plant and animal species and gene piracy, Human- wildlife (snake) conflict.

The following are the main activities of this project:
1. Discovering new herpetofaunal point endemic species from the knuckles landscape and strengthened its conservation status.

2. Conducting education and capacity building training programmes for following stakeholders of the project in the landscape such as field staff of the Forest Department, school children, villagers, journalists, Police officers, and the security forces of the region, staff of the divisional secretariats of the Minipe, Ududumbara, Pahatha Dumbara, Panvila, Ukuwela, Lakgala, Rattota, and Pallegama of the Kandy district, and Wilgama of Matale district of the Central Province.

3. Preparation of awareness materials such as posters and brochures to depict the uniqueness of the region showing all endemic fauna and flora.

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Herpetological Foundation of Sri Lanka

Country:

Sri lanka

Area Of Work:

Biodiversity

Operational Phase:

OP6 - Y3 (Jul17 - Jun 18)

Grant Amount:

US$ 35,000.00

Co-Financing Cash:

US$ 138,103.80

Co-Financing in-Kind:

Project Number:

SRL/SGP/OP6/STAR/BD/2018/09

Start Date:

5/2018

End Date:

9/2020

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

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Project Characteristics and Results

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

Awareness raising for general public will be mainly carried out through newspaper articles, social media and awareness material such as posters, and leaflets, as well as video clips depicting the importance of the Knuckles landscape.

Capacity - Building Component

Education and capacity building training programmes will be conducted for the field staff of the Forest Department who are working in this area and other stakeholders in the landscape. It is expected to update them on the latest scientific aspects and increase knowledge and understanding of the Knuckles landscape. Police officers, and the security forces and the staff of the divisional secretariats of the Minipe, Ududumbara, Pahatha Dumbara, Panvila, Ukuwela, Lakgala, Rattota, and Pallegama and Wilgama will be educated about the conservation of the biodiversity of the Knuckles landscape. A practical media workshop will be carried out in the Knuckles conservation forest itself for the journalists. Villagers who are unaware of the importance of the environment, cause harm by using agro chemicals, clearing the forest for cardamom growing and tea planting, logging, poaching, forest fires, selling their land to outside parties, gem and sand mining, Therefore, the project expects to educate them and show their responsibilities to conserve this heritage.

Gender Focus

In all activities of the project, participation of men and women will be ensured.

Inovative Financial Mechanisms

Main focus of the project is to publish findings in peer reviewed international scientific journals, which will then be publicized through local media. The main knowledge component will be research articles which will be produced through the project findings.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

N/A

Notable Community Participation

The project team comprise professionals, while youth will participate as trained volunteers for field work. The communities in the Knuckles landscape are not aware of the importance of the region. They are even bound to do illegal activities stressing the fragile ecosystems as a way of living. The schools in the surrounding area are situated in highly rural locations, with minimum facilities, and are in close contact and conflict with the natural environment. These children must be educated about their surroundings, to build positive attitudes, in order to protect and conserve the eco systems they are living in.

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

The project will work with local communities closely, therefore use of local language will be a primary factor both for conservation activities and in videos and documentaries with subtitles where necessary.

Policy Impact

Yes, the project intends to produce policy impact as the final outcome. The intended field research will result in the discovery and scientific description of at least five novel species of herpetofauna from the Knuckles Landscape. These findings will be an indicator to illustrate the high biodiversity of the landscape, as ?the more the diverse, the more important? it will be for conservation. Hence, further protection of highly threatened areas will result from the findings of the project, and these results may be utilized in policy planning to conserve the Knuckles landscape.

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