Implementing Agency:
Department For International Development (DFIDSEA)

Managing Institute:
Department For International Development (DFIDSEA)

Project Code: 178-502-006	Start Date: 01-Jun-90	End Date: 01-Nov-95
Commitment: £2,026,000	Status: Completed	Type of Funding: Bilateral - TC

Project Objectives:
To prepare large scale mapping of land use types existing vegetation land use and slopes of the entire Upper Mahaweli Catchment to assist management planning of natural forest and plantations.

Intended Outputs:
1:10,000 maps of present land-use, forest plantation, vegetation types and contours of Upper Maliawel Catchment (UMC).

1:10,000 maps of vegetation types of Knuckles Range and Peak Wilderness.

40,000 ha of dry zone and wet zone plantation outside UNC mapped.

1:10,000 maps or uncontrolled maps from print lay-downs or rectified prints from aerial photos of 400,000 ha of degraded forest in dry zone.

Special problems pinpointed, with use of maps (such as:

* erosion hazards, index of UNC.

* catchments needing protective reforestation, identified.

* 4,000 ha of new forest planting sites in UNC identified and described.

* 1,250 ha of forest replanting sites described).

Bibliography of existing literature and cartography of UNC widely distributed.

Success and failure of previous attempts to change land use in UNC evaluated.

Alternative land uses for degraded tea estates discussed with Policy and Planning Sections of Tea Industry and implementation started.

Using remote sensing:

* condition and distribution of natural forest ecotypes identified.

* 100,000 to 200,000 ha of natural dry zone forest selected for detailed mapping and management.

* Baselines for monitoring and managing natural vegetation and plantations established.

* Data produced for Wildlife and Conservation Department and National Mangrove Committee and Man and Biosphere Programme.

*Most suitable RS imagery and processing procedures for forest mapping and monitoring in Sri Lanka determined.

* Monitoring of sediment loads of Mahaveli river and comparison of erosion from different land uses underway.

* Modelling and predictive techniques give estimates of reservoir sedimentation rates.

*Suitability of and procedures for application of GIS in MASL work determined.

Staff trained in cartography, remote sensing, planning and sedimentation studies.