In Sri Lanka, more than 28% of the land area is reserved and administered by either the FD or the Wildlife Department. A distinct feature of these protected areas is that they are fragmented. Thirty percent of protected areas are less than 100 ha in area and 54% are less than 1000 ha in size. Most of the areas that are under the purview of the FD are smaller than 1000 ha. The largest and most important protected areas in the country are the Peak Wilderness Sanctuary and the adjacent Hortan Plains National Park (with a combined area of 25 539 ha), Knuckles Conservation Forest (16 000 ha), and Sinharaja National Heritage Wilderness area (11 187 ha). Out of these, the most important site for biodiversity conservation is Sinharaja, the country’s largest remnant of rain forest, which has been declared a biosphere reserve under the UNESCO MAB programme and has been included into the World Heritage List of natural sites.
Multipurpose Tree Species (MPTS) Research Network is a local network working on research to meet the needs of small-scale farms for fuelwood and other tree products. The activities of the network are coordinated by a National MPTS Research Committee where experts from national institutions in forestry, agriculture and social sciences, universities, tree growers as well as NGOs are represented. The focal point of this network is the Faculty of Agriculture of Peradeniya University. One of the main activities is a multi-locational species trial. Other activities include studies on farmers' objectives as regard to tree breeding, regional survey of farm and village forestry practices, regional comparative studies and also establishment of a marketing network for MPTS products.
Recently, a network on Artocarpus heterophyllus (jackfruit), a neglected MPTS in Asia, was established. Documentation of available seed sources, collection, storage and ex situ conservation of jackfruit are being done under this network. In addition, exchange of seed materials and establishment of provenance trials are also being done. A tree improvement programme of jackfruit has also been initiated.
Silvopastoral systems are found in the mid to high elevations in central Sri Lanka, and also in the coconut triangle in the southwest quarter of the country. The practice is widespread in the hilly or wet grasslands. Tree components are mainly Eucalyptus, Pinus and Cupressus species. In the coconut areas cattle is raised in coconut fields, which are not intercropped to any large extent. In some silvopastoral areas, especially in the mid-Montane Zone, there is a danger of fires created by herders, which burn the dry grass just before the rains in order to get a new flush of grass for their cattle.
The indigenous sources of energy for Sri Lanka are biomass (including fuelwood) and hydropower. The country has no fossil fuel deposits. Fuelwood is used mainly in the domestic sector for cooking, to a small extent for keeping houses warm in the montane region and in some industries for drying and heating purposes. Ninety four per cent of Sri Lankan households use fuelwood for cooking. Electricity is used mainly for lighting and in industries.
Numerous fuelwood planting programmes have been started in the country in the recent years. Fuelwood is also produced from thinnings and branches from forest plantations. The agro-based plantation fuelwood and extensive non-forest fuelwood planting programmes are mainly meant to supply fuelwood for industries. In addition to the Forest Department, agencies that have undertaken fuelwood planting programmes of their own include tea industry, Sri Lanka's State Plantation Corporation, Janatha Estate Development Board, Ceylon Tobacco Company, Ceramic Corporation, Brick and Tile Industries and Mahaweli Development Authority. The FD, with the forestry extension division has provided technical assistance to most of these institutions in raising fuelwood plantations.
