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| CONFERENCE EXCURSION |
Field Trip to the Mystic Knuckles Conservation Forest: A proposed MAB Site |
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The Forest Department of Sri Lanka is sponsoring the field excursion to the Knuckles Conservation Forest. This is one of 16 Conservation Forests declared so far in the island. Interested participants may participate in this exciting vist on Friday, 8th December 2006 at no extra cost. This will provide you with an excellent opportunity to gain hands-on experience of the challenges faced by the Forest Department in conserving biodiversity and hydrological features of this unique ecosystem.
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The Forest
This forest nestles within the Knuckles mountain range, so called because of its strong resemblance to the knuckles of the clenched fist of a human hand. Visitors to the area can enjoy a panoramic view of the mountains which is a striking geographical feature of Sri Lanka. They are known as the Dumbara Hills which means “mountains covered by mist”. As you drive towards this area, the distant mountain ranges emerge in layers of blues, greens, golds and browns, and then suddenly the five distinctive peaks of the Knukles range become visible in a haze of misty blue.
A remarkable feature is that most of the climactic conditions of Sri Lanka can be found within this unique mountain range which is situated at the boundary of the wet and dry zones. These mountains receive an annual rainfall between 2500 – 5000 mm, and serve as the catchment for several major rivers such as the Gin Ganga, Kalu Ganga and Hulu Ganga. The terrain of this forest is extremely rugged, and the hills rise to heights of 1906 m. The blend of these climatic and geographical features has created a unique ecosystem within the Knuckles Forests, which sustain a rich and diverse fauna and flora. Many species found here are endemic and considered rare; and several are confined entirely to the Knuckles region.
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A multitude of vegetation forms have evolved due to the gradation of climate and altitude within the Knuckles Conservation Forest. On the upper slopes, ridges and summits of the Knuckles range between altitudes of 1070 – 1890 m, one can encounter the upper montane tropical wet-evergreen forests also known as the “cloud forests”. In the valleys one can see lowland tropical wet semi-evergreen forest species. Yet another fascinating feature of the area is the presence of “Pigmy forests” in the Selvakanda Plateau. These stunted trees are a result of the strong gale-force of the north-easterly monsoonal wind.
There are also strips of riverine forest flanking the rivers and streams that cascade through the forest, wet and dry grasslands, and patches of Pinus and Eucalyptus cultivated in degraded forest areas. Around 1,033 species of flowering plants have been recorded from these forests, of which 160 species are endemic to the country.
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Woody Plant Diversity in the Knukles Conservation Forest |
Families |
Genera |
Species |
Species Uniqueness |
Rare |
Endemic |
Nationally threatened |
141 |
595 |
1033 |
12 |
160 |
11 |
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These forests are inhabited by a great variety of fauna including the endangered leopard, which is the largest carnivore in Sri Lanka. Considerable numbers of sambhur, barking deer, mouse deer, wild boar, the loris, and giant squirrel inhabit the forest. The endemic purple-faced leaf monkey and the toque monkey too are found in this area. The forest is a bird lover's paradise! Of the twenty-five endemic bird species recorded so far, about 21 have been observed in the Knuckles region. This forest has a varied reptile fauna, of which the endemic lizard Ceratophora tennentii is confined to this forest. About 60 species of butterflies of various hues vave been seen in this region.
The People and the Forest
There are many human habitations within the protected area as well as immediately below the conservation boundary. Around 80 villages situated in this region still maintain their traditional cultural practices, due to the remoteness of the area. The simple architecture of the houses with thatched roofs and granaries to store the grain harvest, traditional home gardens that emulate the forest and the beautifully terraced paddy fields are typical of the landscape in these villages. Many local people depend on the forest for chena cultivation, extraction of timber and fuelwood for domestic use, harvesting of non-forest products and for cultivation of cardamom. Recently there has been a significant increase in development activities related to tourism. |
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| Overcoming the threats |
Despite its uniqueness and the role as a watershed, the Knuckles region faces many threats. Among these are cattle grazing, use of pesticides in peripheral agricultural systems, cardomum cultivation (now being eradicated), littering by visitors and illegal gem mining.
As far back in 1873, part of the Knuckles range, which lies above 1500 m was declared as a climatic reserve. Since then this area has received legal status under the Forest Ordinance and a large area was declared as a Conservation Forest in May 2005. The Knuckles Conservation Project was initiated by the Forest Department in 1987 with the objective of delineating the physical boundaries of the Knuckles conservation forest and to identify critical management issues for the sustainable management of this area. The Forest Department has also taken initiatives to include buffer zone communities in the management of the forest and has conducted several awareness and training programmes for sustainable livelihoods.
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| Visitor Tips |
- Hikers should be prepared for rugged terrain and sudden changes of weather and external parasites such as leeches
- Take care not to disturb the fauna and flora and refrain from littering or polluting the environment or engage in any illegal activity
- Respect the lifestyles of the local people.
- Bring your own binoculars.
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Conference Excursion Organizing Panel
Mr Anura Sathurusinghe (Chairman)
Dr A.H.Magdon Jayasuriya
Dr Devaka Weerakoon
Dr U.K.G.K. Padmalal
Mr Sarath Ekanayake
Mr Anslem de Silva
Mr Wasantha Dissanayake |
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