Series on Best Practice Guidelines (Sri Lanka)

Transcription

1 Series on Best Practice Guideines (Sri Lanka) After the Tsunami: Safeguarding Specia Area Management sites (SAM), Ramsar Sites and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) Information Paper No Specia Area Management (SAM) Sites (See Figure 1 for ocations of these sites) Specia Area Management uses oca and geographicay specific panning and active stakehoder participation in order to pan for optima sustainabe use of natura resources, ensure economic we-being as we as ecoogica integrity, and to practise sound natura resource management. This key concept was introduced in the 1980s as a too for resource management in the coasta zone and has been an integra part of the Coasta Zone Management Pan of the Coast Conservation Department, since the 1990s. Since the ate 1990s, nine SAM sites have been chosen based on agreed criteria such as severity of issues reating to resource use, richness of biodiversity, economic significance and the process of participatory management. Work in these sites is aready ongoing. Benefits gained from the SAM process incude zoning of sites to maximise ecoogica protection yet aowing sustainabe use, poverty aeviation by provision of faciities for the enhancement of iveihoods, socia upiftment through various community-based training programmes and improvement of water quaity and waste management. A further 27 sites have been proposed using the same criteria and are identified as high priority areas. These SAM sites are managed under the aegis of the Coast Conservation Department and the Coast Conservation Act of No. 57 of 1981 and its amendments. District Existing sites Coombo Gampaha Puttaam Gae Hambantota agoon Lunawa agoon SAM Site Negombo estuary/muthurajawea marsh Bar Reef Madu Ganga estuary Hikkaduwa Nationa Park Unawatuna Bay and Koggaa estuary Coasta stretch in Hambantota Mawea agoon Kaametiya Conserving Ecosystems to Strengthen Liveihoods

2 2 District Proposed sites Puttaam Mannar Gae Hambantota Matara Ampara Batticaoa Trincomaee Muaitivu Jaffna SAM Site Puttaam estuary Chiaw estuary Munde ake and Puttaam corridor channe Guf of Mannar Thaaimannar coasta area Sivathurai, Arippu and Aruvi aru coasta area and Bay of Kondachi Beruwea coasta stretch Bentota estuary Rekawa agoon Weigama Bay Periya Kaapu and Korai Kaapu agoons Panama dunes, Arugam Bay and Arugam Kaapu Batticaoa estuary Upper Panichchankerni estuary Kakudah- Pasikudah bays, Vandaoos and Thenadi bays, Vaachchinai estuary Trincomaee Bay Niawei beach, Pigeon Isand. Periyakarachchi and Sinnakarachchi esturaries Cappenberg Bay Nanthikada agoon Nai aru estuary Manakadu dunes Jaffna estuary (town) Thondaimanaru agoon Kankesanthurai and Keerimaai coasta area Mandativu, Deft, Nainativu isands Karainagar (incuding Casuarina beach) coasta area Navai coasta area (See Figure 1 for ocations of these SAMs.) Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) (See Figure 1 for ocations of these sites) Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are marine areas of outstanding nationa significance, conserved by aw under the jurisdiction of the Department of Widife Conservation, to provide protection of their vauabe natura resources. MPAs fufi a number of functions, incuding the conservation of biodiversity, sustainabe management of natura resources for iveihoods, protection of endangered species and habitats, as we as their contribution to the tourist industry. Four MPAs have been decared under the Fauna and Fora Protection Ordinance (FFPO) in 1993: District Gae Gae Trincomaee Puttaam MPA Hikkaduwa Nationa Park Rumassaa/Buona Vista Marine Sanctuary Pigeon Isands Nationa Park Bar Reef Marine Sanctuary (See Figure 1 for ocations of these MPAs.) Ramsar Sites (See Figure 1 for ocations of these sites) In addition to these SAM sites and MPAs there are three decared Ramsar sites, i.e., wetands of internationa importance, both for the conservation of migratory waterfow and for the sustenance of oca iveihoods. Coasta areas in two of these decared sites -Bundaa Nationa Park, and Maduganga estuary (A SAM site and aso a proposed sanctuary) - were affected by the tsunami. Conserving Ecosystems to Strengthen Liveihoods

3 3 The issues There is a risk that reconstruction activities in areas cose to SAM and Ramsar sites, and MPAs may not be carried out with due environmenta consideration. This coud mean that these sites that provide vita iveihood and environmenta functions may be affected adversey. Impropery panned reconstruction may cause poution, both during reconstruction and aso in the ong term as a resut of poor design, thus damaging SAM and Ramsar sites, and MPAs. Continuation of iega activities such as mining for ime, sand mining in rivers (which interrupts the natura deposition of sand to beaches) and bast fishing wi have a huge negative impact on SAMs, Ramsar sites, and MPAs. There is insufficient awareness on the importance of these sites to coasta deveopment activities in sustaining natura resources and iveihoods and how environmentay sound rehabiitation and reconstruction is crucia. Information about existing SAMs, Ramsar sites, and MPAs is not disseminated adequatey. Often knowedge about where the boundaries of these sites are, which activities are prohibited and which are permitted is not known, and hence aws are not aways enforced. Pans and processes aready exist for most these sites. Especiay for SAM sites, these processes have proven to be efficacious. Therefore, if reconstruction and rehabiitation are not carried out within the framework of the existing pans for SAM and Ramsar sites, and MPAs, efforts coud be misdirected, dupicated or even damaging. The impacts SAM sites are noted for the economic and iveihoods vaue of the resources they hod, and the effective management of natura resources in these areas are important for sustainabe iveihoods and oca economies. Destruction of vauabe natura resources in these areas wi have a severe impact on communities with high eves of dependence on these resources for their iveihoods. SAMs, Ramsar sites and MPAs can hep protect ow ying coasta areas from extreme weather events such as tropica storms and tsunamis and need to be maintained for the future security of coasta communities. These sites aso act as buffers, protecting coasta areas from erosion. Damage sustained to these during the reconstruction effort may increase the vunerabiity of coasta popuations to extreme weather events and ead to severe coasta erosion, which may adversey affect current and panned coasta deveopments. Marine ecosystems are three-dimensiona - the water coumn supports different species from that of the seabed and many marine species rey heaviy on water currents for the dispersa of arvae and seed. MPAs provide a vita function in serving as sources from which seed and arvae can disperse naturay to other marine areas. Thus, proper conservation and management of existing MPAs is critica for natura regeneration of marine ecosystems beyond the boundaries of the MPAs themseves. Many fish stocks are aready seriousy depeted due to over fishing. SAM sites and MPAs provide a refuge for many species, and heathy popuations within SAM sites and MPAs can spi over to nonmanaged areas, repenishing stocks of fish that are targeted by fishermen. SAM sites and MPAs therefore assist in maintaining popuations of commerciay significant marine species and are important to the sustainabe management of coasta fisheries. Damage to SAM sites and MPAs due to reconstruction activities, mining, increased water poution and unsustainabe resource use practices may endanger the future sustainabiity of popuations thereby negativey affecting communities that are dependent on fisheries for their iveihoods. SAMs, Ramsar sites and MPAs serve as vauabe tourist attractions. Sound management is therefore important for the reviva of coasta tourism and the much-needed revenue this brings. These have acted as important reserves of biodiversity, in the recent past providing many modes for nove bio-resources. The preservation of these resources wi provide greater options for resource management in the future and provide modes for scientific and industria innovation. Severe damage incurred to these sites wi threaten the preservation of key biodiversity resources that may not currenty be perceived as being important economicay but have enormous monetary potentia in the future. Conserving Ecosystems to Strengthen Liveihoods

4 4 The need Reconstruction activities must be carried out in a way that does not adversey affect these sites. This is essentia because of their immense vaue in natura repenishment, protection of coasta areas, support for iveihoods and conservation of biodiversity, a of which are particuary important in a post-tsunami context. Guiding principes (adapted from the 12 Guiding Principes for rehabiitation and reconstruction of the coasta zone in the tsunami-affected countries) Ensure that existing aws and reguations reevant to the coasta zone are uphed. Enhance pubic awareness on existing aws and reguations reevant to the coasta zone. Manage existing SAM and Ramsar sites and MPAs effectivey so that the abiity of natura systems to protect the coastine from extreme weather events is enhanced. Manage existing SAM and Ramsar sites and MPAs support sustainabe iveihoods. Invove a stakehoders in the effort to protect these sites. This is effected easiy for SAM sites as a participatory approach is an integra part of the SAM panning process Deveop toos to monitor and communicate the impacts of the reconstruction process. Key steps Consut the Coast Conservation Department and the Department of Widife Conservation in order to ensure that reconstruction and rehabiitation are carried out within the existing framework of panning such as the SAM process. Consut the CEA prior to carrying out any deveopmenta activities to ensure that environmenta impact assessments are carried out if necessary. (See aso After the tsunami: knowing about environmenta aws and poicies, paper # 9) Consut the reevant Regiona Offices of the Department of Widife Conservation (DWC) (see Box 1 for contact detais) if the proposed deveopment is within 1 kiometre of any MPA. (See aso After the tsunami: where to rebuid environmenta concerns paper #1). Consut the Department of Widife Conservation to ensure that reconstruction and rehabiitation does not adversey affect Ramsar Sites. Prevent the dumping of waste in any form (an iega activity) - on beaches and in the sea. (See aso After the tsunami: knowing about environmenta aws and poicies, paper # 9) Prevent the sourcing of buiding materias (such as sand and ime) from the coasta zone. These activities are prohibited. (See aso After the tsunami: materias for reconstruction paper # 3; After the tsunami: knowing about environmenta aws and poicies, paper # 9) Prevent the use of iega fishing practices such as bast fishing and cora mining. (See aso After the tsunami: knowing about environmenta aws and poicies, paper # 9) Prevent the remova of natura resources from MPAs. Extraction of any resources from designated Protected Areas is prohibited under the Fauna and Fora Protection Ordinance No. 2 of 1937 as amended. (See aso After the tsunami: knowing about environmenta aws and poicies, paper # 9) Conserving Ecosystems to Strengthen Liveihoods

5 5 Box 1: Regiona Offices Department of Widife Conservation (DWC) responsibe for specific MPAs District MPA Contact detais for reevant DWC Officers Gae Hikkaduwa Nationa Park Southern Region Mr. B.A. Mutubanda, DWC, Rumassaa/Buona Vista Lunugamvehere Nationa Park, Marine Sanctuary Lunugamvehere, Te: Trincomaee Pigeon Isands Nationa Park Eastern Region Mr. Gamini Samarakoon, DWC, 823 Anagarika Dharmapaa Mawatha, Ampara, Te: / Puttaam Bar Reef Marine Sanctuary North/Western Region Mr. Manjua Amararatne, DWC, 1/598 Seevai Mawatha,Anuradhapura, Te: Box 2: For more information contact The Coast Conservation Department, Mr. Ani Premaratne, Director Panning and Monitoring, Coast Conservation Department, 5 th Foor, Maigawatte Secretariat, Coombo 10, Te: The Centra Environmenta Authority, Direcotr Genera CEA Parisa Piyasa, Robert Gunawardena Mawatha, Batttaramua. Te: The Department of Widife Conservation, Mr. H. D. Ratnayake, Deputy Director Research, 18, Gregory s Road, Coombo 7. Te: The Urban Deveopment Authority, Mr. Niha Fernando, Deputy Director Genera, 7 th Foor, Sethsiripaya, Battaramua.Te: (See overeaf for detais by district) The Forest Department, Mr. Anura Sathurusinghe, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Sampathpaya, Rajamawatte Road, Battaramua. Te: /2. IUCN The Word Conservation Union, Dr. Channa Bambaradeniya and Mr. Jerker Termander, 53, Horton Pace, Coombo 7. Te: / Links to other IUCN Best Practice Guideines: After the Tsunami: Where to reconstruct. Environmenta concerns. Information paper no. 1 After the Tsunami: Deaing with Invasive Aien Species Information paper no. 2 After the Tsunami: Materias for reconstruction, Information paper 3. After the Tsunami: Beach and Reef cean ups, Information paper 4. After the Tsunami: Soid Waste Management, Information paper 5. After the Tsunami: Recovery of Marine Ecosystems, Information paper 6 After the Tsunami: Restoring tourism environmenta issues, Information paper 7 After the Tsunami: Learning to dea with natura disasters, Information paper 8 After the Tsunami: Knowing about environmenta aws and poicies, Information paper 9 After the Tsunami: Restoring terrestria ecosystems, Information paper 10 After the Tsunami: Water Poution, Information paper 11 After the Tsunami: Restoring wetand ecosystems, Information paper 12 After the Tsunami: Restoring Homegardens, Information paper Conserving Ecosystems to Strengthen Liveihoods

6 Conserving Ecosystems to Strengthen Liveihoods 6