Fundraising for Rainforest Conservation and Education Centre
The Sinharaja World Heritage Rainforest is the last remaining virgin rainforest in Sri Lanka. It exhibits the highest biodiversity in all of the island and is well known for its birds, especially rare species endemic to Sri Lanka: e.g. the beautiful Sri Lanka blue magpie, the red-faced malkoha and the Sri Lanka hanging parrot. In fact, of the 26 bird species endemic to Sri Lanka, more than 20 can be easily found in Sinharaja. Mammals of the Sinharaja Rainforest include the endemic purple-faced leaf monkey, the torque monkey, the fishing cat, the rusty spotted cat, the barking deer, the mouse deer, the sambur, the giant squirrel, the occasional and elusive Sri Lanka leopard and the even rarer black leopard.
While 11,427 hectares of the Sinharaja Rainforest are currently protected as an International Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Rainforest, thousands of hectares of rainforest directly adjoining it remain unprotected and are constantly being destroyed through encroachment, illegal logging and various construction activities. The lack of a conservation center close to the rainforest has been a considerable obstacle to successfully carrying out conservation and education activities of Rainforest Protectors Trust.
Above: Sample images for the envisioned conservation center
Establishing the proposed Rainforest Conservation and Education Center will help our organization coordinate conservation projects and campaigns efficiently, educate tourists visiting Sinharaja about the threats the rainforest faces and about our conservation efforts, educate school children and villagers nearby, set up a native-plant nursery for critically endangered flora and offer a base for carrying out research, among many more possibilities.
The approximate cost of setting up a Conservation Centre is Rs. 90 lakhs (US$ 30,000) including the purchase of a suitable parcel of land in an accessible location. Rainforest Protectors Trust, a Trust registered under the Land Registry of Sri Lanka, is urgently seeking funds for the purpose of setting up this first Conservation and Education Center. We urge you visit our website below either to donate or to contact us and help our organization achieve this important goal, the conservation of this unique, beautiful and threatened eco system.
