Hambantota, Sri Lanka, Indian Ocean

The coastal sand dunes of the Hambantota region, in southern Sri Lanka, are being irreversibly damaged by human activities. The pressure is coming mainly from the intensive use of the area by the growing human population. The sand dunes are government owned and for a small fee can be utilised or built near and as there is already busy urban centre close to the dunes there is a high chance of even more development on them.

Removal of sand and landscaping of dunes for housing construction are two activities that result in dune degradation. In addition, linear sand dunes have been cut-down to control floods, which has resulted in the discontinuation of sand dune development. Other reasons for dune degradation have been unauthorised constructions; trampling and related human activities, especially developing network of paths and tracks across the dunes; beaching of fishing crafts, dumping of solid waste and garnet sand mining along the coast.