The success story of the Endana Biodiversity Corridor

Sri Lanka’s relationship with conservation is complicated to say the least, with increasing deforestation and land reclamation seeing a growing number of habitats destroyed each year. While State institutions play a vital role in conserving our natural resources and biodiversity, private institutions can and do play a significant role in conservation by rebuilding environments within which plants and wildlife can thrive. 

The Endana Biodiversity Corridor (EBC), established in 2018 and spearheaded by Dilmah Conservation, is one such private project that looks to strengthen Lankan biodiversity. 

The work of the EBC
The Endane Biodiversity Corridor is an important initiative for several reasons.

Connecting fragmented forests: The EBC is a three kilometre-long nature corridor in the Ratnapura District established to connect the fragmented Iharakanda and Walankanda Forest Reserves. By connecting these two forest reserves, the corridor allows threatened species to migrate and ensures the preservation of biodiversity in the region.

Restoring abandoned tea plantations: The corridor spans 40 hectares of tea plantations, which are now abandoned and being restored for forest regeneration. This is an important step toward restoring the natural habitats of endemic species and promoting forest regeneration.

Participatory forest management: This is an effective tool for restoring fragmented forest landscapes in the tropics. The intimate association between local communities with protected areas is well-known as an important driver for sustainable forest management. The EBC project aims to evaluate the relationships between the socioeconomic and demographic status of a local community with prospective forest management options for establishing the corridor.

Preserving biodiversity: The EBC is an example of the commitment of Dilmah Conservation to preserving the island’s biodiversity. By creating a seamless migration path for endemic species, the corridor ensures the preservation of biodiversity in the region and contributes to the conservation of endemic species in Sri Lanka.

Community engagement: The EBC project is a community-driven initiative that involves local communities in the restoration and management of the corridor. By engaging local communities, the project aims to promote sustainable forest management and ensure the long-term preservation of biodiversity in the region.

The impact of the EBC
Six years on from its creation, The Sunday Morning Brunch reached out to key figures behind the EBC for more insight into the success of the project. EBC Co-Lead Scientist Dr. Nalaka Geekiyanage highlighted the corridor’s significance, stating: “We have numerous success stories ranging from identifying the harmful nature of haphazardly planted trees to the importance of efforts to save plants at risk of extinction.”

EBC Co-Lead Scientist Professor Nimal Gunatilleke also emphasised on the significance of this project. The Sinharaja Forest landscape spans some 11,000 hectares and the establishment of corridors like the EBC service a crucial goal in sustaining diversity in such regions, since not all these regions are connected. “Understanding spatial distribution patterning is critical in the rainforest in Sri Lanka,” Prof. Gunatilleke said.

Dilmah One Earth Centre Coordinator Amila Perera shed light on the challenges faced by the EBC project in building the right kind of habitats and, importantly, in planting the right kind of trees. 

“We know that tree planting is a good thing. We make it a practice for birthdays or festive occasions, but do we ever think that planting a tree might cause environmental damage?” Perera questioned, raising concerns about the common practice of planting tree species such kumbuk, mee, and na without considering their compatibility with the local biodiversity, highlighting the potential threats this poses.

Perera also shared some of the biggest challenges involved in ecological restoration, such as the importance of conducting a thorough analysis of the species within a habitat to ensure the suitability of plants for restoration efforts. Recognising the risk of extinction faced by certain plant species crucial for restoration and how the EBC was helping to turn the tide, Perera said: “We have started our own plant nursery, growing seedlings, and we have now introduced over 120 varieties of plants in danger of extinction.”

Perera also addressed the practical aspects of restoration, acknowledging the challenge of finding personnel willing to and capable of carrying out planting activities in forest areas. He highlighted the prevailing activities in the forest, such as gem mining and unauthorised logging, which hindered restoration efforts. 

Despite these challenges, with the backing of private entities such as Dilmah Conservation, initiatives like the EBC are able to be connected with individuals who are knowledgeable about local landscapes and willing to engage in restoration activities. 

Conservation and sustainability 
Dilmah Tea Chairman and CEO Dilhan C. Fernando also shared his thoughts on the need for initiatives that strengthened the environment, saying: “A healthy environment is a necessary precondition for growth and human survival. Ecosystem services are what fuels business, whether you are in the business of making cars or making tea. Our economy was created at a time when we did not understand the economic value of ecosystem services.”

He noted that nature provided numerous benefits, such as fuelling tourism and regeneration in forest ecosystems, all of which were critical components of a business, adding: “The value of people is equal to that of nature.”

Prominent naturalist and taxonomist Rohan Pethiyagoda provided insight into the concept of sustainability, highlighting its complexities and inherent challenges. He emphasised on the need to understand the nuances of sustainability: “Ideas about sustainability – a perspective that all of you will hate. What does sustainability really mean?”

Pethiyagoda introduced the concept of the ‘null hypothesis,’ which suggests that sustainability entails utilising resources from nature to meet present needs while ensuring that the needs of future generations are met. However, he noted the inherent contradiction in this concept: “While that looks logical, it is not natural because there is really no natural instinct in us to be sustainable.”

Drawing on evolutionary biology, Pethiyagoda explained how human behaviour was influenced by genetic predispositions, particularly our innate nepotism. He referenced Richard Dawkins’ seminal work ‘The Selfish Gene,’ inspired by W.D. Hamilton’s theories, to illustrate that much of our psychological traits are genetically ingrained. Consequently, he argued that sustainability must be consciously adopted as it was not inherently encoded in our genes.

Pethiyagoda concluded with a thought-provoking statement prompting reflection on the essence of sustainability and its implications for current and future generations: “If you think about it, what is sustainable is ‘whatever you have left’.” His insights shed light on the complexities surrounding sustainability and the imperative for deliberate action to address environmental challenges.

Read the article on The Morning by Dimithri Wijesinghe: https://www.themorning.lk/articles/LHZ6YInuJHO1mGMZ3Ogx