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Environment

Help Save Lunugamvehera National Park

Rs. 51,600 raised of Rs. 2,000,000
2 contributors
3% Funded
Left
3% Complete
“Habitat Restoration project by the Federation of Environmental Organisations (FEO).”

Federation of Environmental Organisations (FEO)


• Sri Lanka has a high percentage of Protected Areas, however much of thecountry’s National Parks are severely affected by numerous threats which inhibit the maximum carrying capacity within these parks

• Invasive Alien Species (IAS) of plants are one of the main issues impacting the biodiversity within Sri Lanka’s national parks. It is estimated that roughly 50% of the land area within some Parks are infested with IAS, impacting the health of these environments as wildlife habitats

• The presence of IAS diminishes the availability of natural vegetation that comprises the primary feeding grounds of elephants and other herbivores, which then forces these animals to seek food outside the protected areas and approach surrounding villages and cropland, thus causing the escalation of human-wildlife-conflict

• It is estimated that roughly 900 hectares of Lunugamvehera National Park is covered in IAS

• This project will directly contribute to the preservation of this Park as key wildlife habitat in Sri Lanka, as well as to mitigate the human-wildlife- conflict in the surrounding areas

• The project is currently providing an alternative means of income to local communities adversely impacted by the Covid-19

• We’re grateful for all your donations! Please contribute generously to this project which will help save Lunugamvehera National Park, restore the feeding grounds of elephants and other herbivores and provide alternative means of income for local villagers

FEO Invasive Alien Species (IAS) Eupatorium odoratum (Podi singho maran) and Lantana camara (Gandapana) have taken over the habitat.

FEO “The starving elephants of Udawalawe” due to poor nourishment within park boundaries. Image courtesy of Dr Prithiviraj Fernando, Centre for Conservation & Research (CCR)

FEO Manual removal before the seeds mature and disperse, promises better results of eliminating the IAS.

FEO Elephants are seen feeding in the newly cleared area, which was once dense with invasive plants, where new grass is emerging from the ground, making it once again preferred grazing habitat for Elephants and other herbivores.

FEO Daily workers manually removing the IAS plants using mamoties




Description Total Cost
Labour for clearing & gathering of IAS Rs.1,880,000
Transport to clearing site Rs.40,000
Daily refreshments for workers Rs.40,000
DWC supervision Rs.30,000
Equipment & safety gear for workers Rs.10,000
TOTAL COST TO REMOVE IAS FROM 50 Ha (~100 Acres) Rs.2,000,000
Cost of clearing single hectare Rs.50,000

• The Federation of Environmental Organisations (FEO) carried out a habitat restoration project in 2020, in collaboration with the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) at Minneriya & Kaudulla National Parks, which effectively removed over 1,300 acres of IAS from the tank beds of Minneriya & Kaudulla, saving the feeding grounds of the elephants and protecting the viability of ‘The Gathering’ – said to be the largest congregation of Asian elephants in the world

• Due to the success of the Habitat Restoration Project at Minneriya & Kaudulla, the DWC has authorized FEO to undertake habitat restoration at Lunugamvehera and Uda Walawe National Parks as well

DIL Elephants feeding ground at Minneriya & Kaudulla national parks were being threatened by the Invasive Alien Species (IAS) Agada (Xanthium indicum – Common Cocklebur)

DIL FEO managed the IAS Agada (Xanthium indicum – Common Cocklebur) removal project first at Minneriya & Kaudulla national parks

DIL The Nature Interpretation Program facilitated by the FEO, trained safari jeep drivers on park etiquette, flora & fauna as well as animal behaviour and the history of the parks in a bid to raise the visitor experience at these parks

DIL 1,200 safari jeep drivers at Minneriya & Kaudualla completed FEO’s Nature Interpretation Program (NIP)

DIL FEO’s Greening Colombo Project kicked off in June 2020 with the first lot of trees being planted at the Borella cemetary with the help of many volunteers including the girl scouts.

DIL Around 450 flowering plants, shrubs, fruit & medicinal trees as well as butterfly host and Nectaring plants have been planted by the FEO at Borella Cemetary as phase 1 of their Greening Colombo Project which kicked off in June 2020.




The project began on 6 February 2021 and we are seeking to raise as much funds as possible so that we can complete the clearing of 40 Hectares within a period of 6 weeks.



Federation of Environmental Organizations (FEO)


• The Federation of Environmental Organizations (FEO) was founded by a group of concerned professionals and environmentalists in 2012, and is administered by a Board of Trustees

• It is a non‐political, non-partisan organization that provides a platform for connecting interest groups with a patriotic interest in safeguarding Sri Lanka’s natural heritage through conservation and advocacy. It has a wide network of members, partners, scientists, professionals, Government officials, social media platforms, activists and legal experts on whom to call on for partnering projects

• One of the recent projects carried out by the FEO was the Nature Interpretation Program (NIP) which was carried out across Minneriya, Kaudulla & Wilpattu National Parks as well as Hurulu Eco Park, aimed at raising the standard of the visitor experience to these parks by enhancing the knowledge of the Safari Jeep Drivers on wildlife, habitat as well as Safari etiquette. To date over 1,200 Safari Jeep Drivers have completed the program

Contact details for further inquiries

Name: Federation of Environmental Organisations
Address: 49/8, Fife Road, Colombo 5
Phone Number: +94 (0) 77 444 3796
Email: coordinatefeo@gmail.com
Website: https://feosrilanka.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/feosrilanka/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/federationofenvironmentalorgsl/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbuSSVMmCaP_5UiZAJPhPuA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/feosrilanka/