Native Floral Species for Watershed Restoration and Enrichment in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Sri Lanka faces frequent floods and land degradation almost frequently which is aggravated by high rainfall intensities and poor land management practices. This problem is common in most areas because about 90% of the total landmass of Sri Lanka comes within river watersheds. Though Sri Lanka is one of the richest countries in floral diversity, the recognition of native tree and plant species which are suitable for restoration of degraded lands in all three climate zones has not been done before. Therefore this study was conducted to fill that gap which is essential for land managers in both private and public sectors. With literature survey, field observations and expert interviews this study identified and developed a database of suitable native tree and plant species for restoration of watersheds and their conservation status, growth parameters, and the uses of each species.