Savitri Gunatilleke, Emeritus Professor of the University of Peradeniya, specialized in the Sinharaja rainforest in Sri Lanka.
What drives you to work for forests and land use issues?
As a young graduate I was fascinated by a very inspiring presentation on 'Sri Lanka's lowland forests' delivered by Prof Peter Ashton of the University of Aberdeen, U.K. He invited me to research on 'The ecology of endemic tree species in Sri Lanka's lowland forests' for my Ph.D. This study revealed an overwhelmingly high proportion of endemic tree species confined to the island's lowland rain forests, while highlighting the urgent need to conserve these rapidly depleting fragmented forests.
My main contribution to forest conservation has been to disseminate the message that successful forest conservation greatly depends on the strong leadership of in-country conservation scientists. During my 40-year teaching career as a forest ecologist, I have strived hard to achieve this. I am happy that a number of my students are now actively contributing towards the conservation of Sri Lanka's forests.
Why are forests important to you from your perspective as a woman?
Having experienced the rich biodiversity of Sri Lanka's rainforests and witnessed the devastation caused by logging a part of the Sinharaja rainforest during my early career days, I have strong views on the negative impact of logging forests for timber alone. I think women are more appreciative of the tangible and intangible services and goods that forests offer, viz., provisioning, regulating, supporting and cultural services.
The ecosystem and landscape services offered by the world-renowned Sri Lankan reservoir-based cascade agricultural systems and Sri Lankan spice gardens representing analogue forests, appeal to me as a woman; and many of my women colleagues and students also share this view unreservedly.
How can we ensure that there is more participation and leadership taken by women in forests and land use issues?
Traditionally, the forestry sector has mainly been dominated by men for its singular use as a timber-provisioning service. However, with the emergence of multiple benefits of ecosystem services offered by forests, women are coming to the forefront of forest conservation and restoration as these services are very close to their hearts.
To achieve the right mindset in implementing the above, women must be trained through field-oriented workshops, where the scientific value of forests, especially their tangible and intangible benefits and services, are communicated clearly to them.