Forest Framework in Sri Lanka by
Ariyadasa Kalutantri
Conservator of Forests

 National Forest Policy
 Forest Resources
 Non Forest Tree Resources
 The Role of Home Gardens

Population Increase and the
Forest Cover
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
90
80
70
1881 1900 Year 1956 1983 1992
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0

Reduction of Forest Cover in Sri Lanka
Forest
Cover(%)
50
40
30
20
10
90
80
70
60
0
84
1881
70
1900
44
27
1956
Year
1983
24
1992
22
1999

Forest Types - 1994
Sparse
Mangroove
Reverine Dry
Dry Monsoon
Moist Monsoon
Lowland Rain
Sub Montane
Monatne
0 200 400 600
Extent ('000 ha.)
800 1000 1200

Forest Policy and Restoration Strategy
Time
Period
1900
1938
1953
1980
1980
1995
Policy Restoration Strategy
Reclaim the chena cultivation areas
“Taungya” reforestation program mainly in the Dry and Intermediate zones
Planting Patna lands Pinus and Eucalyptus were introduced in the up country patna lands
Emphasis on timber and fuelwood production
Donor funded projects. USAID
Watershed
Management Project
Social Forestry
Initiatives
Planting of dry and wet patna with P. caribaea, E.grandis, and E.microcoris with some mechanical site preparation
Large scale planting of fuelwood in the dry zone and Pinus in the up country catchment areas
CFP project 1982-1989 and PFP project 1993-1999
Current Forest Policy Community based tree planting and private sector involvement in forest plantation development

National Forest Policy - 1995
 To conserve forests for posterity with particular regard to biodiversity, soils, water, and historical, cultural, religious, and aesthetic values
 To increase the tree cover and productivity of the forests to meet the needs of present and future generations for forest products and services
 To enhance the contribution of forestry to the welfare of the rural population, and strengthen the national economy, with special attention paid to equity in economic development

Policy on Management of State Forest Resources
 All state forest resources will be brought under sustainable management both in terms of the continued existence of important eco-systems and the flow of forest products and services
 The traditional rights, cultural values, and religious beliefs of people living within or adjacent to forest areas will be recognized and respected
 The natural forests will be allocated firstly for conservation, and secondly for regulated multiple use production forestry
 For the management and protection of the natural forests forest plantations the state will where appropriate form partnership with local people, rural communities, and other stakeholders and introduce appropriate tenurial arrangements

Policy on Management of State Forest Resources
 The establishment and management of industrial forest plantations on the state lands will be entrusted progressively to local people, rural communities , industries, and other private bodies in pace with institutionalizing effective environment safeguards
 Degraded forest lands will be rehabilitated as forest for conservation and multiple use production, where it is economically and technically feasible, mainly for the benefit of local people
 Planned conversion in forest to other land uses can take place only in accordance with procedures defined in legislation and with accepted conservation and scientific norms

Policy on Management of Private Forest and Tree Resources
 Trees growing on homesteads, and other agroforestry, will be promoted as a main strategy to supply wood and other forest products for meeting household and market needs
• The establishment, management, and harvesting of industrial forest plantations by local people, communities, industries, and others in the private sector will be promoted
• The state will promote tree growing by local people, rural communities, NGOs and other non-state sector bodies for the protection of environmentally sensitive areas

Policy on Wood and Non-Wood forest products,
Industries and Marketing
 Greater responsibility will be given to local people, organized groups, cooperatives, industries, and other private bodies in commercial forest production, industrial manufacturing, and marketing.
 Efficient forest products utilization, development of competitive forest industries based on sustainable wood sources, and manufacture of value added forest products will be promoted.
 The state will facilitate the harvesting and transport of forest products grown on private lands
 Effective measures to protect forests and illegal trade in wood, non-wood forest products and endangered species of flora and fauna will be instituted.

National Forest Policy
Short Term
Strategies
Forestry Sector Master Plan
Medium Term
Strategies
Long Term
Strategies
Five Year Implementation
Program (FYIP)

Sources of Timber Supply
Rubber
13%
Coconut
10%
Imported
9%
Unrecorded
21%
Home Garden
41%
Forest Plantations
6%

Agro-forestry Systems in Sri Lanka
 Farm-based Agro-forestry
 Traditional Home Gardens
 Kandyan Forest Gardens
 Spice Gardens
 Trees in Agriculture Fields (Tea, Coffee, Cocoa)
 Intercropping with commercial trees (coconut, rubber)
 Trees around agricultural fields

Agro-forestry Systems in Sri Lanka
 Forest Based Agro-forestry
 Traditional shifting cultivation ( chena )
 Cooperative Reforestation Program
 Farmers woodlots

Home Gardens General
 Best developed agro-forestry system in Sri
Lanka
 It is essentially a mixed cropping with a variety of tree species that provide food, fruit, timber, medicine, and spices
 Home gardens are wide-spread and vary in species composition and tree density
 There are about 858,000 ha. of home gardens (13% of the land area)

DISTRICT
Ampara
Anuradhapura
Badulla
Batticaloa
Colombo
Galle+Matara
Gampaha
Hambantota
Kalutara
Kandy
Kegalle
Kurunegula
Matale
Moneragala
Nuwara Eliya
Polonnaruwa
Puttalam
Ratnapura
Trincomalee
TOTAL
Distribution of Home Gardens
Land Area (ha)
450031
722178
285673
263983
68469
292085
141890
262307
164391
192808
168328
489787
206050
576763
174109
344988
315848
327034
267991
5714713
Area of Home Gardens
Home Gardens(ha) as a % of district
16245 3.6
56143
50764
7.8
17.8
14359
8577
99000
56884
44922
33156
61029
46782
72892
20258
56739
9172
36180
64747
56462
14083
9.8
5.3
10.5
20.5
17.3
5.3
5.4
12.5
33.9
40.1
17.1
20.2
31.7
27.8
14.9
9.8
818394
14.3

Home Gardens- Species Composition
 More than 400 different tree species found in home gardens
 Some species are planted while other are naturally regenerated
 Home garden species can be broadly categorized in to
Food, Food & Timber, and Timber species. Medicinal and spice trees are also found
 Five commercially grown exotic timber species (Teak,
Mahogany, Alstonia, Albizzia, and Eucalyptus) are among the top ten species in order of frequency of occurrence
 There are about 30 different medicinal tree species in the home gardens

Most Common Home Garden Tree Species
Local
Coconut
Rubber
Jak
Arecanut
Species Name
Botanical
Cocos nucifera
Hevea brasiliensis
Artocarpus heterophyllus
Areca catechu
Mahogany
Alstonia
Mango
Albizzia_1
Eucalyptus
Teak
Margosa
Cashew
Swietenia macrophylla
Alstonia macrophylla
Mangifera indica
Albizia molucana
Eucalyptus spp
Tectona grandis
Azadirachta indica
Anacardium occidentale
Lime Citrus aurantifolia
Lunumidella Melia dubia
Weera
Guava
Drypetes sepiaria
Psidium guajva
Kitul
Satin
Orange
Sabukku
Bamboo
Gliricidia
Halmilla
Rambutan
Toona
Daminiya
Caryota urens
Chloroxylon swietenia
Citrus cinensis
Grevillea robusta
Bambusa vulgaris
Hevea brasiliensis
Berrya cordifolia
Nephelium lappaceum
Toona sinensis
Grewia damine
Planted
Planted
Planted
Planted
Origin Category
Timber & Food
Timber
Timber & Food
Food
Planted
Planted
Planted
Planted
Timber
Timber
Timber & Food
Timber
Planted
Planted
Timber
Timber
Naturally Grown/Planted Timber
Planted Timber & Food
Planted Food
Naturally Grown/Planted Timber
Naturally Grown
Planted
Timber
Food
Naturally Grown/Planted Timber & Food
Naturally Grown Timber
Planted
Planted
Food
Timber
Planted Timber
Naturally Grown/Planted Timber
Naturally Grown/Planted Timber
Planted
Planted
Naturally Grown
Timber & Food
Timber
Timber
Total Number of Trees
38616649
17101488
10437142
9697944
6410248
5968286
5607688
5607581
4061191
3293609
3044932
3001240
2484387
2349245
2073390
1790026
1751016
1489903
1468383
1460721
1333073
1252885
1185466
1177920
1023771
1001625

Home Gardens- Species Density
 The average tree density in home gardens is about 200 trees per hectare
 In the wet zone tree density exceeds 260 trees per hectare while in the dry zone tree density is around 125 trees per hectare
 Almost all the tree species have more small diameter trees compared to large diameter trees that shows the sustainable nature of the system

Tree Density in Home Gardens
DISTRICT Land Area (ha)
Ampara
Anuradhapura
Badulla
Batticaloa
Colombo
Galle+Matara
Gampaha
Hambantota
Kalutara
Kandy
Kegalle
Kurunegula
Matale
Moneragala
Nuwara Eliya
Polonnaruwa
Puttalam
Ratnapura
Trincomalee
TOTAL
489787
206050
576763
174109
344988
315848
327034
267991
450031
722178
285673
263983
68469
292085
141890
262307
164391
192808
168328
5714713
Area of
Home Gardens(ha)
72892
20258
56739
9172
36180
64747
56462
14083
16245
56143
50764
14359
8577
99000
56884
44922
33156
61029
46782
818394
Home Gardens as a % of district
20.5
17.3
5.3
14.3
14.9
9.8
9.8
5.3
10.5
40.1
17.1
20.2
31.7
27.8
3.6
7.8
17.8
5.4
12.5
33.9
Total Number of Trees
4684499
7820520
12286263
446427
2427509
15799018
11057048
6315661
10533752
5694609
22226316
23505457
8019140
10905497
3541264
1730037
4411647
9732963
281137
161418764
Trees/ha
192
386
48
68
172
20
197
318
93
475
322
396
288
139
242
31
283
160
194
141

Girth Class Distribution of Species
Weera
Guava
Kitul
Satin
Orange
Sabukku
Bamboo
Gliricidia
Halmilla
Rambutan
Toona
Daminiya
Local
Coconut
Rubber
Jak
Arecanut
Mahogany
Alstonia
Mango
Albizzia_1
Eucalyptus
Teak
Margosa
Cashew
Lime
Lunumidella
Species Name
Botanical
Cocos nucifera
Hevea brasiliensis
Artocarpus heterophyllus
Areca catechu
Swietenia macrophylla
Alstonia macrophylla
Mangifera indica
Albizia molucana
Eucalyptus spp
Tectona grandis
Azadirachta indica
Anacardium occidentale
Citrus aurantifolia
Melia dubia
Drypetes sepiaria
Psidium guajva
Caryota urens
Chloroxylon swietenia
Citrus cinensis
Grevillea robusta
Bambusa vulgaris
Hevea brasiliensis
Berrya cordifolia
Nephelium lappaceum
Toona sinensis
Grewia damine
Family
Palme
Euphorbiaceae
Moraceae
Palme
Meliaceae
Apocynaceae
Anacardiaceae
Fabaceae
Myrtaceae
Verbenaceae
Meliaceae
Anacardiaceae
Rutaceae
Meliaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Myrtaceae
Palme
Rutaceae
Rutaceae
Proteaceae
Bambusaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Tiliaceae
Sapindaceae
Meliaceae
Tiliaceae
F
T
T
T
T
F
TF
T
T
TF
T
T
T
T
TF
T
T
T
T
TF
F
T
Category
TF
T
TF
F
Girth Class
>30cm <30cm
Total
29362285 9254334 38616649
10691775 6409713 17101488
5515990 4921152 10437142
2661675 7036269 9697944
1105066 5305182 6410248
2719116 3249170 5968286
2933572 2674116 5607688
4148863 1458678 5607581
2408844 1652347 4061191
1522317 1771292 3293609
1357844 1687088 3044932
1151863 1849377 3001240
12013 2472374 2484387
1251112 1098133 2349245
3974874 11481516 2073390
70716 1719310 1790026
809525 941491 1751016
713782 776121 1489903
20790 1447593 1468383
891560 569161 1460721
369924 963149 1333073
434510 818375 1252885
503663 681803 1185466
531295 646625 1177920
639165 384606 1023771
372663 628962 1001625

Home Garden – Timber Production Potential
 One hectare of home garden will produce 0.95 m 3 of sawlogs and 0.5 m 3 of poles per year
 Five exotic tree species found in home gardens
(Mahogany, Alstonia, Teak, Eucalyptus, and
Albizzia) account for 30% of the total timber production
 Jak and Rubber are the main timber producers each contributing 17% to the total production

Most Valuable Timber Species in Home Gardens
Local
Species Name
Botanical
Teak
Nedun
Jak
Tectona grandis
Pericopsis mooniana
Artocarpus heterophyllus
Mahogany Swietenia macrophylla
Satin
Halmilla
Milla
Chloroxylon swietenia
Berrya cordifolia
Vitex altissima
Origin
Planted
Naturally Grown/Planted
Planted
Planted
Naturally Grown
Naturally Grown/Planted
Naturally Grown
Eucalyptus Eucalyptus spp
Margosa Azadirachta indica
Kumbuk
Palu
Welang
Kolon
Suriyamara
Hora
Ketakela
Kon
Terminalia arjuna
Manilkara hexandra
Bridelia retusa
Schleichera oleosa
Planted
Naturally Grown/Planted
Pterospermum suberifolium Naturally Grown
Adina cordifolia Naturally Grown
Albizia odoratissima
Dipterocarpus zeylanicus
Naturally Grown/Planted
Naturally Grown
Naturally Grown
Naturally Grown/Planted
Naturally Grown
Naturally Grown
Naturally Grown
Naturally Grown
Planted
Damba
Helamba
Alstonia
Toona
Syzygium assimile
Mitragyma parvifolia
Alstonia macrophylla
Toona sinensis
Coconut
Rubber
Cocos nucifera
Hevea brasiliensis
Mango Mangifera indica
Albizzia_1 Albizia molucana
Lunumidella Melia dubia
Sabukku Grevillea robusta
Rambutan Nephelium lappaceum
Daminiya Grewia damine
Tamarind Tamarindus indica
Naturally Grown/Planted
Planted
Planted
Planted
Planted
Naturally Grown/Planted
Naturally Grown/Planted
Planted
Naturally Grown
Naturally Grown/Planted
Log Price/M
3
(Rs.)
23040
23040
15120
14760
15180
15180
15180
5700
14220
11340
14220
14220
14220
14220
7740
7740
7740
7740
7740
5700
5700
3216
3216
1620
1620
3180
3180
1620
1620
1620
Timber
Class
Super Luxury
Super Luxury
Luxury
Luxury
Luxury
Luxury
Luxury
Special & 2
Special
Special
Special
Special
Special
Special
1
1
1
3
3
3
3
1
1
2
2
3
3
3
3
3

Timber Production Potential of Home Garden Species
Local
Coconut
Rubber
Jak
Species Name
Botanical
Cocos nucifera
Hevea brasiliensis
Artocarpus heterophyllus
Mahogany Swietenia macrophylla
Category Total No. of Trees
Estimated
No. of
Trees that would reach
Maturity
Timber & Food 38616649 27031654
Timber
Timber & Food
Timber
17101488 10260893
10437142
6410248
8349714
2564099
Alstonia
Mango
Alstonia macrophylla
Mangifera indica
Timber
Timber & Food
5968286
5607688
2387314
3925382
Albizzia_1 Albizia molucana
Eucalyptus Eucalyptus spp
Teak
Margosa
Tectona grandis
Azadirachta indica
Timber
Timber
Timber
Timber
5607581
4061191
3293609
3044932
2243032
1624476
1317444
2131452
Lunumidella Melia dubia
Kitul Caryota urens
Satin
Sabukku
Chloroxylon swietenia
Grevillea robusta
Halmilla Berrya cordifolia
Rambutan Nephelium lappaceum
Toona
Daminiya
Toona sinensis
Grewia damine
Timber
Timber & Food
Timber
Timber
Timber
Timber & Food
Timber
Timber
2349245
1751016
1489903
1460721
1185466
1177920
1023771
1001625
1409547
1225711
1042932
584288
829826
824544
511886
600975
Rotation
Age
(Years)
70
30
40
40
35
45
25
35
25
40
25
25
50
30
40
30
25
40
Timber
Volume per Tree
(m
3
)
Estimated
Timber
Volume
(m
3
)
0.15
0.3
0.5
0.6
0.3
0.4
0.4
0.6
0.6
0.4
0.4
0.15
0.4
0.35
0.4
0.4
0.4
0.4
22585
18946
22553
5253
5960
6817
8298
8245
8190
6010
81095
102609
104371
51282
28648
39254
35889
38987
594992

 Provide better quality planting materials especially in case of commercial species
 Some sort of mechanism to certify the timber produced in home gardens