Dilmah has joined hands in a public private partnership with the Urban Development Authority to improve the Beddagana Wetland Park to increase interest and education value for the wetlands. The partnership was cemented with an MoU sigining between the UDA and Dilmah earlier this year. This falls under Dilmah’s larger efforts at supporting the greening and preservation of important ecosystems
This will be a long-term commitment by Dilmah in the interest of preserving and strengthening conservation efforts for an important ecosystem. A long term strategy has been designed by Dilmah consultant Narmada Dangampola that will consists of community awareness and outreach, education programs maintaining throrough recordkeeping of species and infrastructure maintenance.
Why is it important to improve conservation for wetlands?
From all of wetland patches found in Colombo, the Beddagana Wetland Park has high in biodiversity. It is home to many plant and animal life, some of them endemic and threatened. Bordering the Diyawanna lake, the riverine ecosystem comprises of diversified floral species natice to Asian weltands. Located in an urban area, the wetlands keep the city cool and fights air-borne pollutants and improve the water quality in the area as well.
Beddagana Wetland Park is part of the only RAMSAR accredited capital city wetland in the world. The capital city of Sri Lanka, Colombo City is built on a mosaic of thirty-six wetland patches, connected through a nearly 50 km long man-made canal system.
Participants from Wetland Link International Asia-Oceania Wetland Conference on a wetland walkabout
