To prevent clashes amongst human beings and elephants, NSRC has developed a buffer zone which connects two forest patches and thus elephants are avoided to come near villages and farms in Nikapotha region. A better life for both elephants and villagers in the area!

1. NIKAPOTHA AND ELEPHANTS

2. Where Nikapotha is

4. Farming in the Regime of Elephants Above- House of Tilakeratne in mid 2002, after several elephant attacks. One elephant used to sleep here in daytime for about a year. Right- House of Tilakeratne in September 2004.

5. A Solution Coming Up View of Tilakeratne’s land from above. The extent of crop cover is high, and is consisting of many species. Crop survivors by end of September 2004. Many elephant foot tracks were among surviving crops, indicating the intensity of elephant movements

6. Fifty six crop species thriving to date Some examples- Small plants- Sesame, rue, mustard, roses, chrysanthemum and ‘Elabatu’ Median trees- Lime, orange, castor, Mulberry, ‘Tibbatu’, cinnamon, coffee, pepper and cigarette-leaf-tree Big trees- Avocado, Mahogany and Terminalia spp.

8. Creation of Buffer Zone A view of forest afar, seen from the border of a home garden

9. Creation of Buffer zone The area in between the forest and the farm is frequently subjected to fire during the drought. Creation of buffer zone stops burn-off, and provide better and much fodder.

11. Nikapotha in relation to Uda Walawe and Handapanaa Gala