The Ministry of Environment says 20 more forests will be declared protected reserves tomorrow (26) under the “Wanaspathi” National Programme.
The programme will be held at the Sandathenna Forestry College in Nuwara Eliya under the patronage of Environment Minister Dr. Dammika Patabendi.
Accordingly, 20 forests located in the Nuwara Eliya, Kegalle, Ampara, Badulla, Vavuniya and Anuradhapura districts will be gazetted as protected reserves, covering a total area of nearly 9,538 hectares.
The Ministry, together with the Department of Forest Conservation, has so far gazetted 93 forests as protected reserves under the current government.
With the 20 additional forests to be gazetted tomorrow, the total area covered by these protected reserves will reach nearly 65,000 hectares.
