Preparations are being made to declare the Gin Oya region as a protected area under the Environment Act, on February 2, as part of World Wetland Day celebrations.
“The protected area includes Gin Oya, all the islands located within Gin Oya and six metres landwards from the river bank. This excludes the Coast Conservation Departments limit, which is two kilometres from the river mouth,” Acting Director, Natural Resource Management of the Central Environment Authority, Priyangani Gunathilaka said yesterday.
The declaration will be gazetted on February 2.
Gunathilaka said that following the declaration, only activities which do not impact on the ecosystem will be allowed in the area.
“The Gazette will include a list of activities that are disallowed. However, this will not disrupt the everyday activities of the area,” she told Sunday Observer.
According to Environmentalist and Attorney-at-Law, Jagath Gunawardana, the Gin Oya is home to the most unique Gin Pol palm in the country.
Gin Pol is the only palm in the world that is able to survive under mangrove conditions and currently under threat due to burning and land fillings in the area.
Gin Pol was declared a protected plant species under Section 42 of the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance, in 1993, and the protection was enhanced by further amendments in 2009. Further, Gin Pol falls into the Vulnerable (VU) category of the National Red Data list.