Land Use Planning and Management in Tank Cascade Environment of Sri Lanka

Abstract

The Tank Cascade System is one of the unique and socially accepted land-use practices in the dry zone of Sri Lanka which has evolved since 600 B.C. The small tank builders of the historical period had a profound and unified understanding of the natural resources, regional landscape, landforms, and hydrology. Tanks and irrigation canal systems, environmental zoning, forest reservations, agro-well-based land utilization, land-sharing system (Bethma), traditional soil conservation measures have been still maintaining well in some rural areas in the dry zone. Newly developed agro-well-based agro-forestry systems and some participatory techniques are also counted as few of sustainable land-use practices. This study has provided many valuable lessons of land use planning and management from the ancient hydraulic civilization and proving that the ancient system is still appropriate for the dry zone agricultural community rather than inadequately coordinated modern efforts of land use practices.