Potentials and constraints of natural resource utilization in Etanwala isolated village

Abstract

Nature is the most powerful and the closest natural entity that is inherently yoked with the rural community and the development of the village. It is prominent in sustainable development in rural villages. Etanwala in Matale district is an isolated and rural village due to the natural environment and natural resources available in the development process. Even in present, Etanwala is considered a traditional village. The purpose of the study is to identify the ways in which natural resources are used by the villagers and identify potentials and constraints related to the natural resource utilization in Etanwala. Accordingly, the research questions seek answers for questions such as, what are the natural resources used by people, how they access said natural resources and issues regarding the utilization of natural resources. Under methodology, primary data that belong to both the qualitative and quantitative categories have been collected by using observation, questioners, and informal discussions. Because most collected data are qualitative, descriptive data analytical method has been used for data analysis. The result revealed that the forest is the most significant feature in the area as it facilitates several functions of the villagers. Likewise, firewood is the most utilized natural resource because of its high accessibility and because it is costless. Due to the prohibition of using forest areas by government regulations, people have to fulfill only their primary requirement from the forest and that is the major issue that has been identified regarding the natural resource utilization in Etanwala. Finally, it can be concluded that natural resources are still widely used in developing countries like Sri Lanka. Therefore, it requires proper management procedure and conservation mechanisms for natural resource utilization in Sri Lanka.