EFL Projects
MFF Maha Oya Project, Kochchikade, North Western Province, Sri Lanka
Project Title: ‘Increasing the resilience of coastal and riverine communities to climate change and other threats by conserving the ecosystems of the Maha Oya and associated coastal wetlands in Sri Lanka’
Funded by the Mangroves for the Future Initiative (MFF) of the International Union for the Conservation Nature – IUCN, the project is designed to address the devastating impacts of river sand mining in the Maha Oya, in the North Western Province of Sri Lanka. The project addresses the impacts of sand mining on the environment and the adjacent communities, while also assessing the impacts of climate change on coastal and estuarine ecosystems, especially at the Maha Oya estuary in Kochchikade.
The project is carried out in partnership with the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau – GSMB and the Open University of Sri Lanka – OUSL.
The project adopts an integrated and holistic approach towards ecosystem conservation. The aim it to establish communities resilient towards future threats, which includes impacts from sand and clay mining. The integrated approach will generate scientific data through research on river and coastal ecosystems in the project area, all carried out in collaboration with a number of government agencies including the Coast Conservation Department – CCD, Department of Irrigation and National Aquatic Resources Authority – NARA. A valuation of the ecosystem services of the Maha Oya will be carried out based on the socio-economic and scientific data, adopting economic principles. The generated information, will be disseminated to the relevant authorities and interested parties through a series of workshops and publications. On the long term, it is envisaged that the information generated will support the government institutions in decision making and policy formulation in relation to these important and highly threatened ecosystems.
The project is currently providing training on alternative livelihoods to communities engaged in sand and clay mining, with the intention of giving them an alternative mode of income generation and exerting less pressure on the finite resources of this riverine ecosystem. Ongoing awareness programmes for school children conducted under the project, is assisting in sensitising young minds in the project area on the merits of protecting and conserving the environment, and to make them understand that sand and clay mining should not be a future livelihood.
The project is also carrying out pilot restoration of a few highly degraded and environmentally sensitive areas as part of its integrated approach. Understanding the importance of adopting a scientific approach to ecosystem restoration, EFL designed different restoration mechanisms to selected plots based on the scientific information generated through the project and proficiency gained through consultative sessions with relevant experts and authorities. The project aims to support and conserve the ecosystem services of the Maha Oya, so that future generations too will benefit from its invaluable ecosystem services.
