Government forest lands in the Monaragala, Ampara, and Kandy districts were officially declared as protected reserves under the government’s “Vanaspathi” National Programme.

In the Monaragala District, the newly declared reserves include Agare, Bandarawadiya, Kudagodakanda, Millakele, Wantibbagoda, and Weheragalakanda in the Monaragala site; Ambattahela in the Siyambalanduwa site; and Kandeyaya, Poramadulla, and Weliara in the Wellawaya site.

In the Ampara District, the Palukuda Mangrove Forest in Akkarapattu, Karangawa Forest in Ampara, and Badulugoda Forest in Mahaoya were declared as reserves.

A total of 5,711.75 hectares of forest land were designated as protected areas from 15th July 2025.

The declarations were made as part of the “Vanaspathi” National Programme launched under the aegis of the Ministry of Environment and the Department of Forest Conservation at the open-air theatre of the Bajjangoda Forest Reserve in Gampaha yesterday.

The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Environment Anton Jayakody, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment K.R. Uduwawala, Director General of Forest Conservation C.S. Palamakumbura, officials from both the Ministry and the Forest Conservation Department, the Gampaha District Secretary, Members of Parliament, the Chairman of the Mirigama Pradeshiya Sabha, and musicians Sangeeth Wijesuriya and Sagara Wijesinghe. (Newswire)

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