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Article History

Received: 23 September 2022

Accepted: 25 April 2023

First Online: 25 May 2023

Declarations

:

: We followed the ISE Code of Ethics in conducting questionnaire surveys in this research. For the questionnaire administering, we used a trained team of two persons, one man and one woman, living in the same divisional secretariat division, who were familiar with the culture of that particular area. During the interviews, they used the comfortable language of the respondents. All participants were fully informed of the purpose of the study and research methods, and their prior consent was obtained. All information obtained is kept confidential and only used for the present study. All information is stored in the Centre for Forestry and Environment, Department of Forestry and Environmental Science of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, for four to five years or until the current study results are improved in subsequent studies. Those will not be shared with any unauthorized parties. The collected information was analyzed and reported only anonymously, honestly, and objectively, without manipulation or falsification. The safety and well-being of the participants were well protected.

: The authors declare no competing interests.

: The paper reflects the authors’ own research and analysis in a truthful and complete manner. Its publication is approved by all authors and tacitly or explicitly by the responsible authorities where the work was carried out. If accepted, it will not be published elsewhere in the same form, in English or any other language, without the written consent of the publisher.