An interactive workshop was conducted on 3rd December 2019 by the Ecosystem Conservation and Management Project (ESCAMP) with the participation of key stakeholders at the Construction Equipment Training Centre (CETRAC) Battaramulla. The main objective of this workshop was to present and review the draft Land Management Plan (LMP) developed for Hurulu -Kaudulla and Kantale (HKK) landscape. This area covers 520,000 ha within the HKK Landscape. Around 51% of the landscape consists of natural forests that includes National Parks and Forest Reserves managed by Forest Department and Wild Life Department.
This assignment is significant to the country in many ways. This plan covers three districts (Trincomalee, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa), 14 DS Divisions, 124 GN Divisions and 10 major river basins in the target area. This is the first attempt to develop such a comprehensive LMP in the country and the outcome of HKK landscape management plan will be a pioneer plan and a first guide to land scape management planners. A number of key interventions were identified to improve and conseve eco-systems, natural resources and thereby to enhance the socio-economic states of the communities living in the landscape.
This plan mainly focused on stakeholder-driven development programs and planning and implementation will be key responsibilities for stakeholders. As such, this workshop was important for them and all stakeholders involve in the process gathered to share their views and comments while contributing to enhance the quality of the plan. Several stakeholders consultation workshops will be held with the participation of NGOs CBOs as well as experts included in landscape management.The next step will be to develop the final management plan and present at a stakeholder workshop to validate the final report.
