Wonders of a wetland - Maduganga

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Mangrove vegetation lines the riverbeds, and occasional islets emerge as the river flows into the sea. Further upstream, we see kraal-fishing constructions and fishermen making their way in rowing boats to collect their day's catch. The occasional blue kingfisher flits in the vicinity of the kraal, a pond heron stands tall in the water, and other wetland birds have arisen from their slumber.

It's just after sunrise, and Maduganga, Sri Lanka's newest Ramsar wetland site greets another day. A mangrove estuary in the southern coast of Sri Lanka, Maduganga is the latest addition to the Ramsar International Convention of Wetlands. Situated 88 kilometres from Colombo in the Galle District, the Maduganga estuarine lagoon became the third wetland to be declared a Ramsar site in Sri Lanka, having been included in its website on February 15, 2004.

A relatively unspoiled lagoon, the Maduganga estuary is a 915-hectare complex coastal wetland ecosystem that opens to the Indian Ocean. 770 hectares of the total area consist of open water, while the remaining 145 hectares are the islands. The site is an ecological asset that harbours many wetland vegetation types as well as a variety of fauna, including a number of globally and nationally threatened or endangered species.

Maduganga has been included in the Ramsar list on the fulfilment of international criteria, one of them being its rich bio-diversity, both flora and fauna, says Dr. Channa Bambaradeniya of the IUCN (World Conservation Union ) Sri Lanka. The usage of the lagoon for fishing etc. as well as its cultural value have also been contributing factors to its inclusion.

Recently proposed by the Department of Wildlife Conservation as a sanctuary, Maduganga is at present managed by the Coastal Resources Management Project of the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources. In a project funded by the Royal Dutch Embassy and the Asian Development Bank, Maduganga has been identified as one of six Special Area Management Sites. As a result, a zoning plan for the area has been prepared, several awareness and educational campaigns are being organized, and plans are underway to construct a visitor centre.

One of the most picturesque landscapes in the area, Maduganga has 15 islands that are surrounded by water all year round. An occasional cluster of rocks is also visible. Manager of the Maduganga Coastal Resources Development Project R.K.U.D.Pushpa Kumara reveals that these rocks included, Maduganga would have 64 islands, but says that only 15 of them are 'true' islands, the largest being Maduwa.

The land area bordering the lagoon, as well as its many islands is rich in mangrove vegetation, with a total of 303 species of plants belonging to 95 families being recorded. 19 of these are endemic to Sri Lanka while eight others are nationally threatened. A couple of the islands harbour the rare, threatened mangrove species of Lumnitzera littorea, better known as 'Ratha milla' in Sinhalese, Mr. Pushpa Kumara says. The mangrove population of Maduganga is unique, and Rhizophora and Brugiera are abundant among its 14 species of mangrove and mangrove-associates.

Apart from its rich mangrove vegetation, Maduganga's botanical diversity includes Nypa fruticans the only palm growing naturally among the mangroves, as well as other plants whose wood is used for the construction of masks and puppets in nearby Ambalangoda.

A unique feature at Maduganga are the little openings between two islands, just wide enough for a boat to pass through. A closer look reveals the knee roots of the mangrove vegetation, as well as the tiny fish population that it facilitates, nearer to the land. Also visible are a large expanse of Najas marina or 'katu penda', one of the nine invasive species that have also been identified in the wetland system. Dr Bambaradeniya reveals that this plant is a threat to the natural vegetation in the estuary, and out-competes the more common wetland species of water lilies and lotus.

Local boatmen in the area say that Najas marina also blocks the propellers of motorboats making it difficult for them to pass through. Legend has it that in the continuing battle between the fisherfolk and boatmen of Maduganga, the fishermen had purposely cultivated the plant so that it would hamper the boatmen's progress. A terrestrial plant Annana globra is another invasive species, but no action has yet being taken to control the spread of these plants.

With numerous incidents attached to it in history, Maduganga is also a cultural landmark. The village folk will tell you that a temple in one of its islands once housed the Sacred Tooth Relic, when it had to be protected in the time of Portuguese rule.

On another island off the mainstream, one finds lush cinnamon cultivation, although it is the nearby area of Karandeniya that is more famous for the spice. An old lady is busy at work on a mat, as she cuts the stems and puts them to dry. Coming from a family that has lived on the income of cinnamon for a long time, she reveals that they have to use fertilizer to ensure better crops and do so twice a year. The use of fertilizer is however, is a growing problem to the estuary, as its mineral content rises, thus facilitating the growth of invasive species.

Downstream, as the water gets increasingly brackish, one cannot miss the extensive kraal fishing constructions, made of bamboo, and essentially used for prawn fishing. A local kraal fisherman Karunadasa of the Dalmangoda Grama Seva Division, whose home is on the riverbed reveals that his income, on better days, is between Rs.2000 and 3000 a day.

One of the fewer villagers who were aware of Maduganga being declared a Ramsar site, he says, "We are happy about it, but the fact is there are going to be more tourists, which means more boats, and more turbulence in the water. He adds that this has been a major problem resulting in a decrease in the prawn harvest. Boats to the power of 25 horse power (HP) units travel on the lagoon, when the limit should be 8 HP.

Boat owners, however, disagree. "We can't do the usual tour of two hours around the wetland if we decrease the engine power," says Anil of one of the more popular local boating services. There are about four such tour operators near the lagoon, offering guided tours for both local and foreign tourists. There are also about 10 small-scale tourist hotels operating in the vicinity of Maduganga and in October 2002, the Ceylon Tourist Board declared the wetland as a tourist development area.

The Tourist Board plans to develop a different speciality in each island such as masks and coir matting, a consultant to the Ministry of Tourism G.K. Amaratunga said. Dr Bambaradeniya says that the Ramsar Convention provides for the 'wise use' of wetlands, which means conservation can be carried out, whilst at the same time making the most of its resources such as fishing, has been done in the past.

There are however, many issues, with regard to conservation. Sand mining, which has been banned, is still very prevalent upstream as we spot a few locals piling sand onto a motorboat. Sewage disposal is also a problem, and due to the lack of a proper means to transport garbage into a dump, it generally flows into some areas of Maduganga, says A. Dayaratne de Silva, the Chairman of the Balapitiya Pradeshiya Sabhawa.

Closer to the land, soil erosion occurs on the river bed, and fishermen reveal that this is due to high powered motor boats as a result of which, prawn production has deteriorated.

Despite these problems, Maduganga is still a beautiful wetland with plenty to see and experience. "Maduganga is still much less polluted than some of the other lagoons in the country,” says Mr. Pushpa Kumara.

A glimpse of the rare
The Maduganga estuarine ecosystem is also rich in fauna, with a recorded number of 248 species of vertebrate, of which 20 are endemic and 30 nationally threatened. The native vertebrates fauna of Maduganga represents about 30% of Sri Lanka's native inland vertebrate species. 24 mammals have been recorded, in addition to amphibians, butterflies and aquatic and terrestrial molluscs.

There are also many bird species identified in Maduganga, but fewer migratory birds due to the lack of shallow mudflats on the river-it is therefore difficult for wading birds (most migratory birds are wading bird species).

Among other endangered species found in Maduganga are the estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) and Mugger (C. palustris). The mainland area of Maduganga harbours a few refuges of the threatened hog deer (Axis porcinus). We spotted one in Koth Duwa, an island that houses a Buddhist temple

Further upstream, land monitors are abundant especially under bridges, closer to land. In the upper reaches of Maduganga, in a small patch of remnant lowland rainforest, we also saw a few purple-faced leaf monkeys, a threatened arboreal mammal species.

The Ramsar convention
The Convention on Wetlands, signed in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 is an inter-governmental treaty, which provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and 'wise use' of wetlands and their resources.

Dr. Channa Bambaradeniya, regional coordinator of the IUCN- Sri Lanka says that the initial role of the convention was the conservation of important habitats for migratory bird species, but that it presently encompasses the conservation of all forms of wetlands.

The Ramsar Convention's definition of wetlands comprises both freshwater and marine wetlands, including estuaries, lagoons, mangroves, flowing and stagnant water lagoons, villus as well as coral reefs, seabeds and irrigation tanks.

Maduganga is the third Ramsar site of Sri Lanka, the first one being Bundala in 1990. Ramsar also covers man-made wetlands, and the second Lankan inclusion into the convention, the Annaiwilundawa Tanks Sanctuary is one such man-made wetland, says Dr. Bambaradeniya.

There are other wetlands in Sri Lanka that can receive Ramsar status, such as the stretch from Panama to Kumana on the Eastern Coast of the country and Pigeon Island in Trincomalee, Dr. Bambaradeniya points out.