Projects

	Table of Contents
p. 6 of 7 BACK | NEXT Background Project Components Map Frequently asked questions Why the project is needed Issues and concerns Contact Us

Issues and concerns

• Loss of Government control over the management of the protected areas
• Threat to national sovereignty due to the independence of the Protected Area Conservation Fund (PACF)
• Fresh legislation that will supercede the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance (FFPO) and undermine conservation efforts
• Use of project funds and the need for foreign consultants and international NGOs as partners in implementing the project
• Eco-tourism as a threat to conservation

Loss of Government control over the management of the protected areas

Protected areas assisted under the project will remain completely under the control of the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWLC), in no way different from protected areas not included in the project scope.

ADB will have no role in the management of these areas, in the same way that it assumes no management responsibility for highways or schools improved with ADB assistance.

DWLC staff will assume full responsibility for preparation and implementation of management plans in each of these protected areas. The DWLC will only adopt management measures that are internally consistent with the classification of each protected area.

For example, management measures for Ritigala will be aimed at enhancing its status as a Strict Nature Reserve. The management plans will also be prepared in consultation with all relevant stakeholders. The project will support this process through financial and technical assistance.

 Top

Threat to national sovereignty due to the independence of the Protected Area Conservation Fund (PACF)

The Fund will be managed by a Board of Directors, appointed from residents of Sri Lanka. Since the Board of Directors will be solely responsible for managing the financial resources of the PACF, independence of this Board from political interference is imperative. This assurance seeks to prevent political interference in the decision-making of the Board.

Furthermore, the Protected Area Conservation Fund is a mechanism to finance community development initiatives for people in the buffer-zones surrounding protected areas, not the protected areas themselves. The Fund will not finance any activities within the protected areas.

 Top

Fresh legislation that will supercede the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance (FFPO) and undermine conservation efforts

During the project's preparation, environmental lawyers and members of the task force stated the need to amend the FFPO to enable more effective implementation of the National Wildlife Policy. Hence the project provides support for drafting such amendments.

The proposed amendments will be discussed, drafted and cleared by a working group appointed by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and would be subject to public discussion prior to being submitted to Parliament. Such amendments would enhance Sri Lanka's conservation efforts.

 Top

Use of project funds and the need for foreign consultants and international NGOs as partners in implementing the project

All funds allocated for this project will be channeled to the country and used by the Government of Sri Lanka for the project. Some project funds will be used for the foreign exchange costs of expenditures such as consulting services and essential vehicles and equipment. No funds can be "retained overseas" and used for any other purpose than the project.

Foreign consultants and partnerships with reputed international conservation-oriented organizations are built in as part of the project's institutional strengthening component of this project. The objective of the project is to improve protected area management and wildlife conservation strategies in Sri Lanka. Technical skills in certain specialized fields related to conservation and protected area management are not yet available in Sri Lanka, and in such instances, must be provided through international specialists and partnerships. The project will support the Government to obtain such technical expertise.

 Top

Eco-tourism as a threat to conservation

The level of eco-tourism facilities and services permitted within protected areas (such as visitor centers, nature trails, birding watch-huts) will be decided by the DWLC during preparation of individual park management plans. Other facilities such as eco-lodges are to be promoted in the buffer zones, not in the protected areas themselves, as a means of increasing livelihood options for local communities.

The DWLC will regulate all eco-tourism developments within the protected areas as well as in the buffer zones to ensure quality standards. These developments will be subject to environmental assessments and monitoring as required under the National Environmental Act of Sri Lanka.