Man And Nature

     The Forest Department of Sri Lanla is vested  with the responsibility of the management of Sinharaja MAB Reserve.It is managed primarily as unique gene pool and and as a warershed.Therefore it totally protected.
      It is desirable that you, who visit the forest,be sensitive to the need to conserve forests such as Sinharaja.Contrary to the chaos and congestion prevailing in urban areas,it is in the forest that the quality of life is best expressed.In addition,man finds peace and tranquility in forest.
      Forest like Sinharaja are essential for the sustenance and growth of urban societies.As such we should endeavour to keep sizeable areas for maintaining life susupporting ecological processes and genetic diversity.
      Allow yourself sufficient time to about within the nature's green cathedral and enjoy its beauty and majesty whether you be a photographer,artist,scientist or a nature lover.
       Please leave it as you find it.

Wewal(rattan)is one of the products obtained from Sinharaja by villages.It is used to manufacture baskets,fumiture and handicrafts. Two species,thudarena(Calamus ovodeus) and thambotuwel(Calamus zeylanicus) are the once mainly found in this forest.

                  

  

                     

This is a common dight withnessed in Sinharaja where villagers carry pots full of sap tapped from the inflorescence of locally known "KITHUL TREE" caryota urens-family Palmae.Fermentation of the sap produces an alcoholic beverage.The unfermented sap when concentrated by heating
forms a thick syrup which is relished as treacle(PENI)by Sri Lankans Treacle in turn produces JAGGERY (Hakuru) crystallized brown sugar. These two products ferch very attractive prices thus making a livelihood of the local people.Sinharaja jaggery is well known all over Sri Lanka.