Matara District, Sri Lanka

The Kirila Kelle wetlands are found a short distance inland from the southern Sri Lankan city of Matara. The wetlands are a part of the Nilwala River basin.[1] They comprise some 750 acres of wetlands. Canals were built by Portuguese Colonialists to mitigate flooding of the Nilwala river into Matara township and aid in the cropping of a further surrounding 6000 acres of rice and other farming. A failed attempt at flood mitigation in the early 1990s has meant that the once arable 6000 acres has now become un-farmable.[2][3] This reduction in historically arable land has resulted in widespread poverty and associated social and environmental problems for some 35,000 people.

The Kirila Kelle Wetlands are the focus for a sustainable Environmental Conservation Community Development program. This is being developed through Ecotourism and community development, by way of a provincial integrated development strategy, that is managed and implemented by the community for the community.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Nilwala River on Facebook
  2. ↑ "Lessons from two long-term hydrological studies in Kenya and Sri Lanka" (PDF). Science Direct. September 2004. Retrieved 8 October 2010.
  3. ↑ "Flood reduction Strategies". Asian Disaster Reduction Centre Chapter 3.3. March 2001. Retrieved 8 October 2008.

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