Through this project I have brought together a number or local and national partners:

Organisation                                                      
Burren Geopark                                                
Clare Local Development Company         
Dept of Rural & Community Affairs                   

National Parks and Wildlife Service          
Purpose
Each partner has either a local or national remit for an area in the project. By bringing them together we pool the resources and knowledge to deliver the system
 

Using manual labour allows for selective removal of invasive plants. This protects the other native vegetation in the area, allowing for the native vegetation and grasses to grow back in the following months whereas when using heavy machinery, the top layer of soil in addition to the grass and native vegetation are removed. Using heavy machinery also removes vital seed banks of native plants, which further facilitates the spread of invasive plants.

It is critical to remove the IAS before the seeds mature and disperse. Through this project, we aim to remove as much IAS growth as possible manually (inclusive of roots), before they shed seeds. The remaining plants, which are more difficult to uproot, will be removed via a ‘slasher’ and the roots will be removed manually, at a later stage, when the soil is moist and plants may be easily uprooted. FEO has observed regrowth of grass after a couple weeks of IAS removal and the growth of native vegetation inhibits the regrowth of invasive species in the cleared areas.

Federation of Environmental Organisations partnered with the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC), the governmental department which oversees maintaince of national parks, nature reserves, and wildlife in wilderness areas in Sri Lanka. Lunugamvehera National Park is directly under their management, therefore granting of permission from the DWC was essential. Removal of the focal invasive plants was conducted under the supervision and security of the DWC.

In addition to our invasive species removal programme, part of the project focuses on developing sustainable livelihoods of the local communities. The hired labour was drawn from local communities who have lost their income sources due to the COVID-19 pandemic from local farming communities, and many of which were daily wage workers. This new partnership between the Park and the local community also fosters an attitudinal shift from one of conflict with the Park to one where they can financially benefit from and being involved in the protection of the Park. Local community members involved in the project were also given awareness training on invasive species control.

With wildlife appearance as a result of the relocation of communities from the encroached area, the opportunity of wildlife ecotourism is enabling. Wildlife becomes the assets of the communities from its value of alternative livelihoods. Communities become the wildlife guardians instead of attackers.