Mannar, SRI LANKA — The Vidattaltivu Nature Reserve, nestled along Sri Lanka’s northwestern coast in the Mannar district, is home to one of the island country’s largest and most ecologically significant mangrove ecosystems. Recognizing its immense biodiversity value, Sri Lanka’s Department of Wildlife Conservation DWC designated Vidattaltivu as a nature reserve in 2016, bestowing upon it the highest level of legal protection under Sri Lankan law. This designation prohibited any commercial exploitation or development within the area, marking a key milestone in the country’s conservation journey. However, the reserve came under threat from a development proposal put forward by the National Aquaculture Development Authority NAQDA, a separate government agency tasked to promote aquaculture. NAQDA’s plan to convert a section of the reserve into an aquaculture farm met with swift and firm opposition from environmental groups and conservationists. But, in a surprise turn in 2024, the agency managed to secure political support, where the then minister of environment issued a notification de-gazetting around 400 hectares (988 acres) of the protected area, effectively opening it up for development. This controversial decision triggered a strong public response and two prominent environmental organizations: the Environmental Foundation Limited EFL and the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society WNPS took the matter before the supreme court. Their efforts bore fruit when the government, faced with mounting public and legal pressure, conveyed to the court that the cabinet has reversed the original decision, thus reinstating the area’s protected status. A restored mangrove habitat, where the trees have grown. Image courtesy…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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