Expolanka joins Hiniduma tree planting initiative
Expolanka Holdings PLC joined the Hiniduma Tree Planting Initiative
with Carbon Consulting Company (CCC) and Rainforest Rescue International
(RRI) to help preserve the rainforests of the country.
 The initiative unveiled on World Environment Day will set up a
biodiversity corridor between the two large remaining disturbed
rainforest patches - Singharaja and Kanneliya and to conserve buffer
zones around the forest edges using the 'Analog Forestry' concept. Over
1,000 trees will be planted initially. As the area surrounding the
rainforests is in the Hiniduma area, the project has been titled
'Hiniduma Bio Link Corridor'.
Expolanka, Head of Marketing, Corporate Communications and CSR, Paddy
Weerasekera said, "Being in the forefront of biodiversity projects such
as this, Expolanka aims at improving not only the environment but the
connecting sources such as communities around the area."
"As a secondary objective, the project aspires to augment the
livelihoods of traditional communities living close to the forest where
biodiversity is high, but under imminent threat. We have identified and
approached farmers in the forest-edge communities along the Kanneliya
Reserve buffer zone to work in this project," he said.
Weerasekera said that the long term project adopts a 'payments for
ecosystem services' model where farmers will receive payments in return
for looking after the trees. Participants are paid a monthly amount for
every tree that they preserve for the duration of the project which is
20 years.
"The word sustainability is no longer just a 'buzzword' in corporate
parlance," said COO of the Carbon Consulting Company, Sanith de S.
Wijeyeratne.
"Worldwide, an increasing number of global companies are taking
cognisance of the need to integrate sustainability and environmental
consciousness in their day-to-day operations. We are greatly encouraged
by Expolanka's support for this bio-diversity project and we hope it
paves the way for many other local corporates to join." |
