National Parks to be developed in Sri Lanka

23rd July 2009, news.lk

Moves are under way to develop Yala and Kumana National Parks.
The Environment Ministry has identified them as priority areas of development to conserve biodiversity of the forests.

Attracting visits by foreign nationals and thereby raking in good foreign exchange to the country is an incentive, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Champika Ranawaka said after opening an information Centre and a park bungalow at Lunugamvehera recently.

He pointed out that visitors to the Lunugamvehera and Yala National Parks were on the increase, and they were planning to open the block two of Yala National Park located between Menik Ganga and Kumbukkan Oya for the benefit of animal lovers and research.

He noted that more than 28,000 people, both foreigners and locals have visited the Yala Park up to June 30 this year and the number of visitors to the park during the same period last year was over 15,000 and foreign nationals visiting Yala has also increased from 7,532 in 2008 to 10,939 in 2009, the Minister said.