The Young Zoologists’ Association (YZA) conducted its annual conservation program at “Sri Pada” recently, centering the Hatton-Nallathanni trail after several years.
Being an area rich with many endemic species, the Sri Pada/Peak Wilderness Nature Reserve is a unique ecosystem, which also holds a significant religious and cultural value. Every year, it is visited by thousands of pilgrims, local and foreign alike. As a result of constant human engagement, the area has been subject to severe ecological degradation, with the issue of polythene and plastic dumping occupying prominence. Members of the YZA cleaned the polyethylene and plastic (PET bottles) along the Hatton-Nallathanni route all the way to the peak (Uda Maluwa). The YZA was joined by the Young Explorers Society (YES) and other volunteers as well. The collected waste material, amounting to over 300+kgs of plastic and polyethylene, was handed over to the Recycling Centre maintained by the Central Environmental Authority.
Concurrently, a team of researchers from the YZA conducted a rapid survey at the trail to investigate into the harmful anthropogenic activities.
The team identified deforestation, open burnings, littering, soil erosion and water pollution among the threats caused by human activity. Shops in the trail were identified using GPS markers, which are expected to be developed into a map, that will facilitate future research.
The YZA calls upon the public to be responsible when visiting Sripada and take measures to mitigate the use of environmentally harmful substances.
