Environmental problems and biodiversity conservation through silviculture in Sri Lanka: Current state, struggles and cooperation with Czech foresters – A review

Abstract

Sri Lanka, as a developing tropical country, faces serious environmental challenges. Forests, as important ecosystems of Sri Lanka, are under pressure from intensive human activities and climate change. Invasive species represent a great hazard to autochthonous plant species and ecosystems, which are, at the same time, hosts to extraordinarily high biodiversity, of which a high percentage is endemic. In this paper, we reviewed the most challenging environmental problems of Sri Lanka and suggested the improvement of a number of them through silvicultural measures and cooperation with international experts, namely Czech foresters. We also reviewed the main forest biomes and addressed the specific problems and management of different forest types.