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Sinharaja.Net
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Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter!
Male
94 years old
United Kingdom
Last Login: 10/26/2009
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Sinharaja.Net's Interests
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| General | PLEASE HELP US TO
SAVE
THE WORLD HERITAGE
WHAT WE ARE DOING?
It is inconceivable to us that this situation is unique to the Sinharaja. We believe that if this can be going on in a UNESCO World Heritage Protected Site such as the Sinharaja Forest Reserve practically right underneath their very noses then surely and sadly similiar actions must be going on elsewhere in other protected World Heritage Sites across the globe.
This campaign is very much in its infancy and this website, we hope, is only a stepping stone to a much larger development. We hope that by creating awareness of the illicit activities in the Sinharaja and by letting as many people as possible know that even protected areas of the world are threatened and vulnerable to ‘predation’ themselves, then maybe something will be done to encourage enforcement of regulations.
We hope that change can be brought about that will enforce countries to abide by the legislation that is set up to protect areas that need such protection. These areas are for the good of all, not for the pockets of a few.
We need your help and the help from everyone who honestly sees this particular shade of ecotourism as a contradicting problem rather than an effective and sustainable solution. By voicing your concerns and supporting the Save the Sinharaja Campaign, you are showing your support for all campaigns and for all efforts across the globe in combating such unacceptable and unsustaining activities.
This is the first few steps of a very long journey and we need YOU to take these steps alongside us.
Together we will make a difference
picture near to the prohibition hotel construction
dammed river
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| Status: | Single | | Zodiac Sign: | Aries |
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Brief Description
Located in south-west Sri Lanka, Sinharaja rain forest which is declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site. is the country's last viable area of primary tropical rainforest. More than 60% of the trees are endemic and many of them are considered rare. There is much endemic wildlife, especially birds, but the reserve is also home to over 50% of Sri Lanka's endemic species of mammals and butterflies, as well as many kinds of insects, reptiles and rare amphibians.
but dear friends sinharaja Rainforest is a forest under threat, and if we don't act now, this rainforest and its amazing wildlife will be gone in ten years.
Ecotourism is an approach to encourage tourist to visit an area of natural beauty combined with esteemed importance on the grounds that what is paid for the experience. Is that put into the preservation of the area? its species and its local people? It has become very popular and almost stylish for western holiday makers to go on an ecotourism holiday and in general it seems to work out very well for the area being visited. However what if those attempts to preserve an area by encouraging tourisms actually causes degeneration in that area, wouldn’t this be somewhat contradicting?
Sadly however there have been some rumours that construction of an ‘eco-tourist’ hotel has been taking place for some time now within the reserve As a result of the hotel construction, many trees are being felled both for the actual construction and for resort infrastructure. Recently a contributory to a local river has been dammed causing many species of both flora and fauna to be displaced. The water from the newly dammed river will act as a source of drinking water for the hotel residence.
The problem is that the construction of this hotel is being backed by the ‘eco-tourism’ bandwagon and sadly, as yet, concerned local people are not seeing the benefits of the eco-tourism business, that is to say that so far they have had no involvement in the planning or the construction of the hotel and it is widely believed that many species of animal including one elephant have been killed as a result.
As I understand it the contributory has been completely dammed and therefore many species has been displaced as a result. If such conservation organisations, such as IUCN and WWF (among others I would assume) are providing funds for management plans and programmes (IUCN summary 405, p70) then surely such activities must have been properly evaluated and approved before hand.
If so;
Why has the river and so many species been affected?
Who has evaluated beforehand the construction of the hotel?
What exactly is protected under World Heritage Protection?
As Sinharaja Forest Reserve is, and I cite the Justification for inclusion on the World Heritage List as recommended in the IUCN summary 405,
• Earth's evolutionary history. Sinharaja's flora is a relic of Gondwanaland and thus is of importance to our scientific understanding of continental drift. The presence of the Sinharaja basic zone is also a geological feature of considerable interest.
• An on-going Biological Evolution. The reserve is the last remaining relatively undisturbed tropical humid evergreen forest in Sri Lanka.
• A habitat for Rare and Endangered Species. At least 139 endemic plant species are found in the reserve. Fauna endemism also exceeds 50% and there are various rare birds, reptiles, fish and insects.
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Who I'd like to meet:
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Here we will provide ideas that can have a diverse affect on the profit-hungry moguls who see our rainforest as their own money bank.
The point of this website is to promote awareness of this dilemma, which the local villagers of the Sinharaja Forest Reserve boundaries must accept every day. The dilemma that their rainforest which has provided so much for so many years may be under serious threat and that if indeed illicit activities are taking place, even when the area has clearly been protected, then it is the responsibility of everyone concerned to at least try and do something about it.
It is somewhat unrealistic to think that any one person is going to change the minds of important influential people that hold the power in Sri Lanka, however a global united front of concerned citizens of the world may encourage equally influential organizations to investigate this matter further and to take such action as they see fit, if it is indeed required.
If you are ecotourist or nature lover,
We define ecotourism as responsible travel that promotes the conservation of natural areas and sustains the well-being of local peoples
Many tour operators and travel agencies use the term ecotourism to describe their operations. There are organizations that "certify" ecotourism operators.
However, many of these projects do little to conserve nature or to benefit local people.
specific criteria that guarantee that they are true ecotourism projects, including:
- a majority of net profits must be returned to conservation efforts
- local involvement, input, support and benefits from the ecotourism project
- no extraneous ecological or social damage
- scientifically tested approaches to wildlife observation that are safe to animals and humans
- respect to local cultures and values
- above average visitor satisfaction
motivation of private travel companies is profit - as it is in any other sector. The problem is that pressure to increase profits does not lead to sound long-term planning or sustainable development.
So next time when book a holiday for ecotoutism. Please find out what is that company doing to help the conservation effort and the local people befor you book your holiday..And please look around the projects they are funding if you visit them,
Deforestation . but not by local people.
can we enquire as to what actually is protected under World Heritage protection?
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