Adopt a Cause/ Case
1) Conserving Sri Lanka’s Watershed Forests
The watershed protected areas are an interconnected group of forests situated in the Central Highlands where a majority of Sri Lanka’s major rivers originate. It is also the Central Highlands that faces serious degradation due to expanding populations and agricultural plantations. Human activities have seriously destabilized the wellbeing of this area to such extent that many areas have now been identified as being landslide prone. Projects to protect and conserve the Central Highlands where EFL has carried out systematic research and gathered a wealth of data over the years is one of the organisations top priorities.
What EFL has done so far
- Awareness campaign – National and local forums, publications including technical papers, policy briefs and posters
- Training workshops for Wildlife and Forest Officers, Grama Niladhari and other local government officials and Community Based Organisations
- Fieldwork to identify the source, dynamics & impacts of forest encroachment
- Preliminary studies for biodiversity & socio-economic assessments
- Landmark case in the Court of Appeal where an undertaking has been given by the responsible authorities to clear encroachments and protect Hakgala
Further work to be carried out
- A comprehensive study on the ecosystem serves provided by Hakgala, including a comprehensive study of the biodiversity and hydrology
- National level awareness campaign
- Continuous monitoring
- Site visits for on the ground monitoring
- Monitoring satellite and aerial photographs
- Further training programmes for Wildlife/ Forest Officers based in the Central Highlands region
2) Air Pollution
What EFL has done so far
- EFL was responsible for bringing up the issue of the absence of air pollution standards in the 1990’s through a Fundamental Rights case in the Supreme Court
- More recently, in 2007 EFL once again went back to the Supreme Court in order to enforce the existing laws and regulations
- EFL has received and resolved many complaints regarding issues relating to air pollution
Further work to be carried out
- Taking on complaints, investigating and following up complaints
- Public awareness campaign, including publishing awareness material (policy paper,
- posters and brochures)
3) Noise Pollution
What EFL has done so far
- An intervenient party in the landmark Supreme Court case on noise pollution
- Taking on complaints, investigating and following up complaints
- Measurement and monitoring of noise in major urban areas
Further work to be carried out
- Taking on complaints, investigating and following up complaints
- Measurement and monitoring of noise in major urban areas
- Public awareness campaign
4) Education and awareness programmes for the Judiciary, Government Officials, Corporate Sector, School Children and General Public
What EFL has done so far
- Since its establishment the organisation has facilitated over 300 seminars and workshops, training over 10,000 people
- Awareness and training programmes have been carried out for the judiciary, government officials, school children, corporate sector and the general public.
Further work to be carried out
- Carry out capacity building workshops for government officials (such as environmental officers, the Police etc) in order to make them better equipped to handle environmental matters
- Capacity building of Sri Lanka’s judiciary on environmental matters to resolve environmental issues through the courts. The Judiciary has expressed the need for environmental training and has requested EFL to carryout such programmes. At present there are no funds available to the judiciary for the implementation of such a training programme.
- Awareness and training programmes for the corporate sector, school children and general public on their environmental rights and responsibilities, and on how they can contribute in minimising their environmental impacts.
