Preparation of the draft Bill of Reforestation and Forest Cover

Sri Lanka has agreed to increase Sri Lanka’s forest cover up to 32% from the total land area and increase the quantity of Carbon absorbed by the forests 7% from the existing quantity by 2030 adhering to the framework convention on United Nations Climatic Changes. In order to realize this objective, actions are taken now for forest plantation, restoring the eroded forests, increasing forest cover of government and private lands away from forests. Although the benefits of this reforestation is for the entire nation, these reforestation programmes are carried out with the participation of various parties and in order to encourage those who are on it, it has been recognized appropriate that distribution of its benefits among those participate in reforestation in order to encourage the participants.

There are no legal provisions at present to provide fruits, leaves, flowers, timber, resin etc, produce to those who participate in reforestation in public places. Also, the appropriateness of establishing a National forestation fund to obtain assistance from private sector, non – government organizations and international organizations has been recognized in order to find funds for implementation of forestation with much productivity.

Accordingly, a new act named “Reforestation and Forest Cover Act” including provisions applicable to above actions was proposed to be introduced by the Minister of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation and the Cabinet granted their approval for that proposal.

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