Sri Lanka to Permit Eco Friendly Hotels in Buffer Zones of Nature Reserves to Cater to Increased Local & International Interest

30th June 2011, www.lankabusinessonline.com

Sri Lanka will permit eco-friendly hotels in buffer zones adjacent to nature reserves to cater to increased local and international interest in the island's wildlife assets, a government minister said.

Aranya Resort - Yala

Deputy economic development minister Lakshman Abeywardene said discussions would start with wildlife protection authorities next month to change existing laws and develop guidelines to regulate resorts in buffer zones.

"More than just beach tourism there is interest in building eco-friendly hotels," Abeywardene said.

"We are talking to wildlife authorities to develop guidelines."

In Sri Lanka protected areas are under the department of wildlife or the department of forests.

Abeywardene said investors were also keen to protect nature now.

"Investors now do not want to damage the environment," he said. "That is helping us a lot. They come looking for nature reserves."

Aranya Resort - Yala

Abeywardene said there had been massive protests when a hotel was built near the banks of a tank in Kandalama in Sri Lanka's central province but ultimately no damage has been done as claimed by protestors.

Jetwing Leisure group's Yala Safari Lodge, a resort that was destroyed in the 2004 tsunami, was also in a buffer zone for decades. Industry officials say the hotel had even provided resources for authorities to keep water holes filled during droughts.

Vil Uyana, a resort started by Jetwing, was built around a man-made wetland.

Abeywardene said the sea around the Hikkaduwa beach tourism area in the South West coast has been declared a protected coral reserve from this week.

Guidelines had also been issued on boat use.

Related Info :

• Sri Lanka's Wildlife Sanctuaries Reopened. Kumana, a Bird Sanctuary and Lahugala, a Wildlife Park Famed for Elephants

• Elephant Reach Plans Three more Hotels to Promoting Agro, Spiritual & Eco Tourism in the Face of Increasing Demand

• Six Sri Lankan Villages Selected for Eco Tourism under Community Tourism Development Program

Two More zones Open at Yala National Park, the Second Largest in Sri Lanka

03rd January 2011, www.island.lk, By Ifham Nizam

The Ministry of Agrarian Services and Wildlife had taken steps to open two more zones at the Ruhuna (Yala National Park) this month to give a further boost to tourism.

Minister S. M. Chandrasena told The Island that the Zone 2 and 3 would be opened this month.

He said a strategy would be worked out to prevent disasters resulting from man-elephant encounters. "I see this conflict as one between farmers and elephants. Elephants suffer due to their habitat loss while farmers lose economically owing to damage caused by wild elephants."

In Yala, the Minister said, only the Zone 1 located 300 km south of Colombo, had been opened for the public in the past due to terrorist threats that prevailed at that time.

But, the entire park was now open to visitors, he said.

Yala, situated in the southeast region of the country in the Southern Province and Uva Province, is the second largest national park in Sri Lanka.

400-Herd of Elephants at Minneriya National Park, North-East Sri Lanka

30th July 2010, www.news.lk

The Minneriya National Park has become a popular tourist destination. The number of foreigners visiting the Minneriya National Park is on the increase and more than 120 foreigners visit the park each day and this number doubles during the weekends. A similar increase is also shown in the number of local tourists visiting the Park.

The daily income of the park has increased to Rs 300,000, and steps are being taken to popularize the park and further increase the income.

A prominent tourist attraction to the park is the possibility of citing of elephants and the Park officials say that more than 400 herds of elephants can be seen on the banks of Minneriya wewa during this season. These herds of elephants come to the banks of the
Minneriya to have fresh grass.

Spread over 8890 hectares, the park is located 182 Km away from Colombo. The Government declared it as a national park in 1997.