KOTTOWA FOREST

The Kottowa arboretum is situated in Galle district. From Galle it takes about 30 minutes to get there. Having quite a few good trails’ the greenery at the arboretum is a refreshing experience for the keen traveler who needs something more than just a beach. A multitude of dazzling flora and fauna awaits the trekker at Kottowa and on any given day, one can witness birds, snakes, lizards, fish and some mammals appearing. Generally, a walk starts at around 8 in the morning and one can wind up the trip by about 12 pm. It’s a gentle path and is a good introduction to the forest if you haven’t been to one before.

The Kottowa forest receives 2,160 – 3,500 mm annul rainfall annually. This is the highest during the south western monsoon from May to August. Relative humidity is about 70% and the mean temperature is around 28⁰C.

However, due to international events, this are was commandeered as a military command centre by the British, its dense vegetation and proximity to the Galle Port making it an ideal location.

Although technically classified as a secondary forest it has many attributes of a true rainforest and non-native species are being slowly removed. Covering gently undulating land and containing a few small streams, it’s location in an area of high rainfall and high humidity can provide much of the mist and mystery to be found in other  rainforest areas.

Many plants and animals can be found in this forest. Especially the Na tree (Mesua nagassarium) is the national tree of Sri Lanka. The whole plant is medicinal. The pollen and seeds are made into an ointment and put on the skin to help heal broken bones.

We can see a lot of species of insects, birds and animals there. Lizards, geckoes and skinks like the Hump-nosed Lizard, the Sri Lanka Kangaroo Lizard, and the Great Forest Gecko make their home there. If you visit there you can have a lot of fun and advantage in educational things.