The Aftermath of the Nuwara Eliya Season – Climate Change Impacts on Horton Plains National Park 

The Spring Festival in Nuwara Eliya is an annual event during the April holidays, where crowds from all over the country gather at the city famously known as Little England. The Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council organizes this event and includes many recreational activities throughout the month. The season comprises car races, motorcycle races, horse races, boat races, musical shows, horticulture exhibitions, and carnivals. Unfortunately, Nuwara Eliya city gets overcrowded every season, bringing numerous environmental problems. 

At the end of this year’s season, the Climate Fact Checks team decided to investigate how this month alone annually contributes to Climate Change, mainly focusing on the impact it has on sensitive ecosystems at the Horton Plains National Park. 

We spoke to Mr. B.D.A.Amarasinghe, the District Assistant Director at the Nuwara Eliya Central Environment Authority, about the actions taken to minimize environmental damage during the festive season. We also spoke to Mr. Dayaratne, the Park Warden at Horton Plains. 

Negative Environmental Impacts of the Spring Festival 

The recorded history of Nuwara Eliya roughly dates back to 1818, when Dr. John Davy discovered it to be a place with a similar climate to England. Back then, it was also a place full of wild animals, leopards, sambars, and elephants, attracting trophy hunters. 

Fast forward to now, the city has become a highly commercialized tourist hub during the season, and the lands are being over-exploited for agriculture throughout the year. 

During the Spring Festival, hundreds of vehicles drive up to the mountains to enjoy the various recreational activities organized by the municipal council in Nuwara Eliya. These activities include car, motorcycle, and boat races on public roads. In addition to the vehicle smoke released, many racing cars do burnouts and wheel spins for entertainment burning rubber and releasing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), benzene, styrene, phenols, and butadiene into the atmosphere. However, this only happens several days a year, so it may not severely affect the climate. But short-term air pollution increases during this time. In collaboration with the University of Peradeniya, the CEA monitors the air quality through sensory equipment fixed at Environmental Protection Areas (EPA), said Mr. Amarasignhe. 

In addition, there is considerable land degradation caused by the hotels and guest houses erected along mountain slopes to accommodate the arriving guests. This adds to hotels’ carbon footprint if it is not sustainably managed. Moreover, the noise pollution and waste accumulation caused by the celebrations are detrimental to the environment. 

Mr. Amarasinghe stated that each of these constructions needs to renew its license annually to ensure that they are maintaining its environmental safety standards. The evaluation method varies based on the size and capacity of the hotel. Moreover, Gregory Lake’s inlets are lined with protective nets to minimize the waste entering the waters. This was to avoid the severe eutrophication experienced in the past, added Mr. Amarasinghe.  

How the Climate at Horton Plains Changed over the Years 

Horton Plains is a UNESCO World Heritage site named in honor of then Governor of Ceylon (1831-1837) Sir Robert Wilmot Horton. It was declared a nature reserve in 1969 and elevated to National Park in 1988. Horton Plains is spread over the southern ridge of the central highlands between Nuwara Eliya and Haputale. Visitors entering Horton Plains either come from Nuwara Eliya to find an entrance point at Pattipola or from Haputale to find an entrance point at Ohiya. 

Horton Plains belongs to the climatic zone of the wet Montane forest. The average annual temperature is between 14-16⁰ C, and the humidity is relatively low at 65%. Though the yearly rainfall of the highlands is about 2540mm, Horton Plains records over 5000 mm of precipitation annually. It is a critical catchment area in the country, giving rise to tributaries of major rivers like Mahaweli, Kelani, and Walawe. 

Mr. Dayaratne stated that the Climatic conditions at Horton Plains have not noticeably changed as they experience rain throughout the year. But several environmental changes have suggested that the climate may have changed over the years. He mentioned that several bioindicators help discover ecological and air quality changes. Moreover, he added that there had been an increased growth of IAS plants and native plants becoming invasive within the Park. 

Modified Ecosystems at Horton Plains 

Horton Plains comprises four ecosystems: Montane evergreen forests, grasslands, marshy lands, and aquatic ecosystems. The Ecosystems at Horton Plains have been modified over the years due to various human activities. It was mostly Upper Montane rainforests, so the park was famously known as the Cloud Forest. However, before it was declared a protected area, this land was used for potato cultivation. Sri Lanka was a welfare state then, and feeding the masses was the primary order of the government. Between 1960 -1977 the British utilized the Ohiya side of the plains for potato cultivation. These lands were terraced using heavy machinery. However, these cultivations were state-sponsored, and the destruction of the environment was not as significant. Potato cultivation on the plains was terminated in the early 70s, but the profile of the descent to the natural rolling land is still visible. 

Now the vegetation is partly grasslands and upper montane rainforest with a  narrow transition zone called Ecotones in between the two, consisting of shrubs and herbs. Wet Grassland can mainly be divided into three categories that are Dwarf Bamboo and Tussock Grass, while Carpet Grass encroaches on the abandoned Potato cultivated land from the seedings that came with manure for potato cultivation. 

In the 60s, the park did not have a Sambar Population, but after the potato cultivations were removed, these lands were overtaken by carpet grass which was the Sambar deers’ favorite meal. With the increasing Sambar Population came the leopards, as it was a land with easy prey. The Horton Plains National Park is sustained by its key species, Sambar Deer and Leopards. 

Although the Potato cultivation was human-induced action on a virgin forest that turned Horton Plains into a disturbed Habitat, Mr. Dayaratne added that it worked positively by bringing in Sambars and Leopards. Horton Plains was initially famous due to World’s End, a climb that takes visitors to a steep slope with a view of Balangoda. But now, visitors are also pouring in for leopard sightings, bringing much-needed popularity and conservation attention to the park. 

Invasive Plant Growth at Horton Plains. 

The habitats in Horton Plains are constantly changing due to the spread of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) of plants. This is owing to the disturbed ecosystems and the changing climate. Among the Invasive plants are Gorse or kate-gus (Ulex europeus), Mist Flower (Ageratina riparia), Suddha (Austroeupatorium inulifolium), and Crofton Weed or Mexican Devil (Eupatorium adenophorum) are some of them. Find out more about IAS plants in Horton Plains here.

There has been an increase in the spread of Invasive Plants species in the last decade, according to Mr. Amarasignhe. This has been the case inside Horton Plains and within Nuwara Eliya District. Rising Temperatures and extreme weather conditions create the most suitable breeding grounds for these invasive plants to thrive on. 

Forest Dieback in Horton Plains 

Forest Dieback refers to the gradual deterioration of health in trees, sometimes leading to tree death. Various factors, including disease and pathogens, insect attacks, and stressful climate conditions, usually cause dieback. 

This phenomenon can be observed in several forest patches at Horton Plains, especially on the Thotupola Kanda, Anderson sites 1 and 2. Find out more by visiting the link. 

There is a noticeable increase in forest dieback during the April Season as vehicle traffic increases to Horton Plains. The Carbon dioxide levels have been monitored in these areas to suggest that it is, in fact, the vehicle smoke that is causing this.  Mr. Amarasinghe stated that the CEA alone does not have the authority to regulate vehicles entering Horton Plains National Park. Still, they have proposed vehicle regulation models to the relevant authorities. 

In conclusion

Traveling and exploring different destinations is essential for a happy, balanced life, but it is vital to ensure that the destinations visited are not destroyed due to this. People should be conscious of the well-being of the environment and the local communities. It is essential to remember that we must leave these fantastic destinations for future generations to enjoy. Moreover, local authorities and governing bodies should be responsible for organizing more sustainable events and regulating crowds gathering in a single location, especially if it is of cultural, environmental, or economic value.