SLBBP Engages in Enhancing the Aesthetic Environment Around Ceylon Tea Trails Bungalows, Dik-Oya
The Castlereigh reservoir is considered a high-value resource by Ceylon Tea Trails, the World’s First Bungalow Resort, promoting responsible nature-based and adventure tourism in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. The reservoir was created as Sri Lanka’s first mini-hydro power generation project, by damming the KehelgamuOya – a major tributary of the Kelani River. Located in the Central Province, the reservoir also gets fed by the DikOya, a minor tributary.
In an attempt to increase the potential of the reservoir for water sports and in general consideration of uplifting of the environment surrounding the Ceylon Tea Trails Bungalows located overlooking the reservoir, a field visit to the bungalows, reservoir and its feeding canals and streams was carried out recently based on the agreement signed between Dilmah Conservation and the Sri Lanka Business and Biodiversity Platform. Secretariat staff and experts visited the Dick Oya area of the Castlereigh reservoir and made observations on the surroundings of the Castlereigh reservoir and its feeding canals.Discussions were had with officials of Ceylon Tea Trails the Central Environmental Authority, the Ceylon Electricity Board, Department of Aquaculture,NuwaraEliya the Ambagamuwa Divisional Secretariat and the local Fishermen’s Cooperative Society, in order to obtain their inputs on the issue at hand.
Impacting negatively on the aesthetic beauty of the area is accumulated solid waste in the Castlereigh reservoir due to unregulated and haphazard waste disposal and dumping in the area.Under the guidance of Solid Waste Management expert, Dr Sumith Pilapitiya, the Platform will facilitate a sustainable solid waste management programme with the participation of all stakeholders.
Systematic assessments, water quality analysis and awareness creation will constitute the programme, the first phase of which will last for one year.
How climate change and natural capital are changing banking
https://www.greenbiz.com/article/how-climate-change-and-natural-capital-are-changing-banking
The climate in financial institutions is changing. With a keen eye on market forces and a core business focused on supporting economic growth, leaders in financial institutions are launching low-carbon initiatives and investing in green infrastructure.
How climate change and natural capital are changing banking _ GreenBiz
“Democratic conservation of biodiversity is must”
Radheshyam Jadhav, TNN | Aug 17, 2015, 05.38 PM IST
Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) under the ministry of environment carry out surveys and documentation of biological resources including threatened and important species of India.Â
Democratic conservation of biodiversity is must – The Times of India
Holcim Lanka engages local stakeholders towards promoting sustainable environmental practices
Demonstrating leadership and commitment towards improving sustainable environmental practices, Holcim (Lanka) Ltd recently organized a high-level interactive session on global environment management trends and Sri Lankan learning.

A Naturalist’s Guide to the Butterflies & Drag onflies of Sri Lanka By Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne
Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne’s “A Naturalist’s Guide to the Butterflies &Dragon flies of Sri Lanka” is a useful guide to whom it may concern with Biological Diversity in Sri Lanka.  Increasingly the segmentation between birders, butterfly watchers, dragonfly watchers and photographers is reducing as interests overlap and there is a demand for books that cover the three popular groups of birds, butterflies and dragonflies. Having written and photographed the guide to the birds of Sri Lanka in the series, Wijeyeratne has produced a single, compact and portable photographic guide to the butterflies and dragonflies of the country. The emphasis in the 280 species featured is on the commoner species, covering around 90 percent of the species that a visitor is likely to see. It is also an excellent book for residents to learn about the commoner butterflies and dragonflies before progressing to more advanced technical books.
The guide is focused on field use to help beginners and experts identify species and provides information on their distribution and habitats. As identification of butterflies and dragonflies require a different approach, the two sections are done as two mini photographic field guides with common introductory sections to wildlife watching in Sri Lanka. The book includes information on the key wildlife sites, general introductions to the biology of dragonflies and butterflies, up-to-date checklists with local status and useful references for people who wish to progress further with their study of these charismatic and photogenic animals.

Corporate funding for Wilpattu sloth bear research
The Sri Lanka Business and Biodiversity Platform (SL B&B) has facilitated continued research on the Sri Lankan sloth bear…..
Read more on ,
http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=business/corporate-funding-wilpattu-sloth-bear-research#sthash.B95QI2Ty.dpuf
Half Dozen new spider species uncovered in Kerala including one from black widow family
http://www.mobiletor.com/six-new-spider-species-by-members-of-biodiversity-research-center-one-from-black-widow-family-discovered-in-kerala/