Hayleys Plantations and WNPS PLANT ink a landmark private sector-led biodiversity conservation agreement

Signing and exchange of MoU, from left: WNPS PLANT Director Shevon Gooneratne, WNPS Immediate Past President Spencer Manuelpillai, WNPS President Jehan CanagaRetna, WNPS PLANT Chairperson Sriyan de Silva Wijeyeratne, Hayleys Plantation Sector Managing Director Dr. Roshan Rajadurai, Horana Plantations PLC Sustainability & Certifications Manager Tharindu Weerakoon, Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC Sustainability & QSD Manager Krishna Ranagala, Kelani Valley Plantations PLC Sustainability and Resource Development Assistant Manager Kushani Rajapaksha

Sri Lanka exhibits unmatched biodiversity and is considered to have one of the richest species concentrations within the Asian region. The nation remains home to a large variety of flora and fauna inclusive of endemic species, many of which are seriously threatened with extinction due to human activity, weak regulation and negligence. In an effort to curb these negative impacts, PLANT (Preserving Land and Nature (Guarantee) Ltd.), an initiative of the WNPS (The Wildlife and Nature Protection Society) recently entered into a landmark partnership with Sri Lanka’s most awarded and certified plantation group, Hayleys Plantations.

Hayleys Plantations, comprising Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC, Kelani Valley Plantations PLC and Horana Plantations PLC extended over 2,500 acres of land to WNPS PLANT, with the overarching objectives of enriching forest ecosystems and biodiversity, developing forest corridors, engaging in reforestation activities, and promoting research and development, while enabling education for youth and communities in the respective regions. WNPS PLANT has committed towards enhancing the scientific knowledge and expanding the forest cover in these locations, and to build forest corridors within these spaces, with the end goal of preserving, conserving and restoring these lands and their surrounding areas over time.

Following its launch in 2020, PLANT has been tirelessly collaborating with the private sector and other local and global actors and seeks to create uninterrupted or reasonably connected corridors of protected natural spaces and forest ecosystems that safeguard Sri Lanka’s unique biodiversity. One such significant strategy was the notion of the Emerald Trails in the endemic rich South-Western part of Sri Lanka that entails creating forest corridors that link larger protected areas and enable animals to move freely within their habitats. This is a critical step towards mitigating the ongoing human-animal conflict and safeguarding essential ecosystems.

PLANT also actively engages with local communities in their efforts to protect these natural habitats. Saving endangered species is a key priority of the WNPS and PLANT teams, as protecting wildlife is crucial to the survival of our ecosystems, in addition to contributing positively towards community welfare and sustainable economic growth. To date, PLANT has grown in leaps and bounds, covering 16 ground locations of operation including five direct property ownerships and engagements.

Commenting on this initiative, Hayleys Plantations Managing Director Dr. Roshan Rajadurai said: “We are pleased to partner with a trusted organisation such as WNPS and to be able to help protect Sri Lanka’s biodiversity under the PLANT initiative. This in turn will support the company’s ESG objectives and the recently launched Hayleys Lifecode, which is a policy-driven blueprint to address the ESG goals critical to the business and society. Committing sensitive private lands towards critical conservation requirements, is something we are proud to do, and we are excited with the plans that WNPS PLANT has. Indeed, we encourage more parties to think along these lines during these critical times in Sri Lanka. We will also ensure that there will be no deforestation activities carried out purposefully across all our existing plantation properties which currently covers a footprint of over 26,000 Hectares.”

“We are honoured to partner with a powerful pioneering force such as Hayleys Plantations, which is demonstrating clear leadership by supporting us in mitigating species extinction and habitat loss and degradation, and battling pressing environmental concerns, and climate change. This partnership has showcased our firm belief that private sector has a very strong role to play in eco-system conservation, which has historically been a State activity, and that inspired parties are willing to do so,” stated PLANT Chairperson Sriyan de Silva Wijeyeratne. He further remarked that Hayleys had raised the bar on the work needed to be done, and that companies like them, and the many partners who had linked up with WNPS PLANT, were doing a great service towards the future of our national natural assets and eco systems.

“WNPS is proud of the progress made by PLANT in a short tenure and this remarkable achievement would not be possible without the dedication of the team and strong partnerships with visionary sustainability driven entities such as Hayleys Plantations” said WNPS President Jehan CanagaRetna. He added that the acquisition of land under companies or private ownership of individuals is a unique and innovative strategy to mitigate biodiversity loss and mentioned that individuals could even step in and contribute by planning fundraising activities or making contributions, and thereby play a role in safeguarding the future of our people and our nation’s species.

This landmark agreement hopes to create several hundred acres of new forest and also entails both parties working together in setting up regional plant nurseries, broadening forest reservation along key waterways, doing biodiversity assessments and empowering and educating communities along the journey. Incorporated 128 years ago, the WNPS is the third oldest non-governmental organisation of its kind in the world and was responsible for the efforts behind the establishment of the Wilpattu and Yala National Parks in Sri Lanka, and the formation of the Department of Wildlife Conservation (www.wnpssl.org and www.plantsl.org). The Hayleys group too at 145 years in existence, is Sri Lanka’s most diversified conglomerate, contributes significantly to the nation’s GDP, and has been Sri Lanka’s number one business entity on many occasions (www.hayleys.com/plantations).