FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

+ How much of my donation go directly towards purchase and conservation of private forest lands?

100% of the donations towards our projects go directly towards purchase and conservation. Our administrative costs are low due to Trustees offering their time and service on a volunteer basis.

+ Who will own the lands that are purchased?

The lands are purchased under Rainforest Protectors Trust, and therefore the title will be under "Rainforest Protectors Trust". This ensures permanent protection for these highly biodiverse rainforest lands.

+ What happens to the land after it is purchased?

Once the land is purchased, Rainforest Protectors Trust will create a management plan to maximize the bio-diversity and long-term conservation. If parts of the land is degraded, the Trust will work with its conservation partner "Rainforest Protectors of Sri Lanka" to reforest the degraded patches of land with suitable endemic and/or native species for the area.

+ What is your criteria for selecting suitable land for conservation?

Our current top priority is to secure the Northern border of Sinharaja World Heritage rainforest, by strategically purchasing and permanently protecting forest lands directly bordering the reserve or within close proximity. This results in creating a buffer zone around Northern Sinharaja Rainforest. However, we do plan to extend our goals in the future to include Southern Sinharaja Rainforest as well as other segmented rainforest patches in the vicinity.

+ Can I donate a land to Rainforest Protectors Trust?

Yes, you can donate a land forested or not. If the land is located within close proximity to an existing forest reserve, or falls within a key bio-diversity corridor or has high ecological value, we will protect it permanently under the Rainforest Protectors Trust. For lands not forested and/or located within residential or commercial areas, we recommend a sale and funds be used towards purchasing and protecting acreage within forest buffer zones or bio-diversity corridors.

+ I cannot contribute monetarily at this time. What other ways can I help to protect these vanishing rainforest lands?

We are constantly in need of surveyors, real estate lawyers, donor relation specialists on a volunteer basis, bio-diversity experts and persons who can assist us on a volunteer basis to locate suitable lands by doing field visits within Ratnapura, Galle and Kalutara districts.