WNPS acquires sensitive lands for conservation

• Landmark move funded through global donor partners

 

In another dynamic move which augurs well for local conservation, Sri Lanka’s largest and most active conservation movement, the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) recently completed acquisition of three parcels of adjoining lands in the ecologically sensitive Peak Wilderness area off Erathna. 

As the world and the UN celebrate World Environment Day on the fifth of June, we are reminded that we have only One Earth, and of course Sri Lanka is very special within that earth from a biodiversity perspective. 

In 2020, WNPS established a land Trust called PLANT (Preserving Land and Nature (Guarantee) Ltd.,) to operate under the auspices of the WNPS. This new visionary initiative was set up with the aim of acquiring privately owned lands for the purpose of conservation (outright or on a long-term lease) and to collect funds through the Trust, and the WNPS, to purchase lands for the purpose of conservation. 

PLANT through its efforts, hopes to protect lands in their existing natural states, extend protected areas by converting more private land to conservation areas where possible, and focusing scientific rehabilitation efforts on any degraded land brought into the Trust. 

Commenting on the acquisition, PLANT Chairman and former WNPS President Sriyan de Silva Wijeyeratne shared that the three properties ensure around 44 acres of refuge to a very diverse range of species. PLANT is very proud to have obtained funding for purchase through two globally strong conservation Partners from USA, namely Rainforest Trust, and The Quick Response Fund for Nature, through the Preventing Extinction Fund. 

This combined block has two streams on either side of the property, some small waterfalls, and that location benefitted from some previous studies done and shows that the property is home to an astonishing 145 endemic species count within its small confines. The location is adjacent to a tea plantation and forest clearing for Cinnamon and thus provides critical connectivity for species movement along streams and ridges, plus important undisturbed breeding grounds for many of them. 

Since 1988, Rainforest Trust has been safeguarding imperilled tropical habitats and saving endangered species by establishing protected areas in partnership with local organisations and communities. With its partners, Rainforest Trust has safeguarded more than 37 million acres of vital habitat across Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Pacific. The Quick Response Fund for Nature (QRFN) is a philanthropic collaboration focused on protecting some of the world’s most critical sites for endangered species. 

The funding was provided in response to “The Emerald Trails Initiative,” which is the longer-term dream of PLANT. The southwestern quarter of the Island is the only home for per humid rainforests in the South Asian region and has a highly unique biodiversity. 

Around 6% of this landmass is home to around 90% of our Species, and with the high endemism in Sri Lanka, naturally many Point Endemic Species with limited ranges are becoming extinct at a rapid pace. This area also has the highest development activity within the country, where nearly 50% of the island’s human population live. An urgent action plan to preserve them is a crying need. 

PLANT hopes to help create almost uninterrupted or reasonably connected corridors of protected natural spaces and forest ecosystems within the southwestern quarter of the island. 

To secure and ensure this region’s genetic and ecological integrity, the linkage of forest patches with larger geographies of conserved land blocks is an urgent priority to ensure continued movement and linkage for Animals across different larger geographies of Conserved land blocks. This is not something which can be done by any single entity and PLANT seeks to work with other like-minded Corporates, Individuals, Government and Conservation entities towards this mission. 

“The notion of building corridors is not new. But sadly, with the escalation of land grabs, removal of protective status by the Government and the abuse of powers by many, there is little confidence that the state will step up on its plans and obligations. Considering the development pressures as well, we feel that taking control of what little elements we can, would be an essential part of the way forward. 

“We would like to invite Corporates and Individual donors to contact us if they have land which can be used for conservation purposes, either through donation to the Trust, or via an MoU to conserve it,” said WNPS President Jehan CanagaRetna.

These purchased properties, help us provide conserved spaces to species like the Fishing cat which is the second largest endangered wild cat inhabiting hill country wet zone and dry zone forests in Sri Lanka, the highly trafficked Indian Pangolin (high EDGE and ED species), the Serendib Scopes-owl, one of the highest EDGE species among birds and a highly range restricted endemic, Erdelein’s Horned Lizard, which is an example member of a group of four endemic CR and EN horned lizards found exclusively in these forests, and even plants like Dipterocarpus hispidus which is a very large rainforest endemic and a member of the ancient Gondwanan Dipterocarps community, and a species in the emergent layer of the tropical rainforests. These are merely a few examples of the many species which benefit from the above initiatives.

The WNPS and PLANT coverage had already reached over 200 acres of land covered through direct ownership and indirect MoU’s which are aimed at preserving and nurturing natural spaces in manners which are conducive to nature and wildlife. PLANT has begun to undertake biodiversity studies and other work on these locations and is evolving its structures at present for scale, while leveraging the strong WNPS network of resources. 

If more like minded parties move from tactical conservation steps to longer term strategic initiatives, Sri Lanka can have better hope of protecting her precious endemic species base for the future.