During the period when Sri Lanka was a British colony, large tracts of forest lands were converted to monocultures. These forests which once provided habitats to numerous species were converted to commercialized tea plantations. With population growth and shrinking forest cover, the biodiversity of the lands which were converted in to tea plantations have been degraded and threatened at a drastic rate.
It was bought to our attention that in response to this issue, several of the contemporary plantations management companies, have taken various steps, trying their best at conserving and enhancing the remaining forest patches within their plantations. Some of them have been recognized to possess commendable stories woven around the various biodiversity conservation initiatives they have undertaken and are being implemented. We believe that these stories need to be published and provided as much publicity as possible, in achieving one of the SL B&B Platform’s key objectives; to promote national cooperation and the exchange of ideas and information.
Being aware of the significant contribution that has been made by the Plantations sector in the management and conservation of biodiversity within their land holdings, the SL B&B Platform has begun putting together a Compendium of Best Biodiversity Practices from within the sector. Through this collection of stories, the SL B&B Platform hopes that there will be a lot of learning that will result, and possibly the sector could see the replication and adaptation of certain activities, that will work more towards the sustainable management and conservation of our valuable biodiversity heritage through the Plantations sector – a key stakeholder from within Sri Lanka’s private sector.
If you are a responsible plantations management company with a demonstrable story on one of your plantations with regard to good biodiversity conservation practice which you feel is worth being published, please contact our Projects and Communications Coordinator on 94.11.558.8843 or write to [email protected].
