The Land Use Policy Planning Department has prepared a Five Year Action Plan (2009 – 2013) with theobjective of achieving the optimal utilization of lands as a resource, in the national interest, while ensuring food security, high quality of life,equity and ecological sustainability . The optimal utilization of land depends on; the protection of environmentally sensitive areas; the rational allocation of the remainning unutilized lands amongest competing uses; preventing the misuse of land an; eliminating/minimizing land use conflicts. The plan was designed to achieve these objectives.
For the purpose of preparing the Action Plan the Divisional Secretary Divisions in each District were divided in to clusters so that attention could be focused on one cluster every year" in order to make the best use of the available resources to the Department Within the cluster selected for intervention in the year 2009" the divisions were prioritized on the basis of the land use planning issues that were present' These issues and the availability of base maps where used as the criteria for selecting the division for initial intervention‘
The Divisional Secretary Division selected in the Matara district was the Weligama division. Within this division the following activities were undertaken;
(a) mapping lands to be protected
(b) mapping unused state and privately owned lands
(c) mapping underutilized state and privately owned lands.
(d) mapping lands that are being misused
(e) mapping lands where there are land use conflicts" and
(f) recording the remaining areas i.e. lands where there are no significant land use planning issues .
After the land use planning issues have been identified and presented, the following activities will be undertaken;
(a) suggest uses for new areas recommended for protection
(b) recommend uses for unused state and private lands on the basis of land evaluation studies
(c) present proposals for enhancing the productivity of underutilized lands
(d) present proposals for eliminating or minimizing the misuse of lands
(e) present proposals for resolving land use conflicts.
