People’s Leasing and Finance PLC has joined hands with the Management of Beddagana Wetland Park and installed awareness boards on environment and biodiversity based on a need identification.
Through this environmental initiative, People’s Leasing and Finance PLC collaborated with the Beddagana Wetland Park as a partner in conservation with the primary objective of assisting in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and educating locals and foreign visitors about the biodiversity and ecosystems, the company said.
The boards were unveiled for public display by Ms. Chandana Kalupahana, Director – Environment and Land Scape Division in the Urban Development Authority in the presence of Shamindra Marcelline, Chief Executive Officer/General Manager, People’s Leasing and Finance PLC and Laksanda Gunawardene, Deputy General Manager (Operations), People’s Leasing and Finance PLC on March 10. Along with this occasion, tree planting was held to symbolise this event.
Beddagana Wetland Park is a key flood detention area and a nature park with scenic beauty. It has a high biodiversity value as the park is located within the declared Kotte Bird Sanctuary. The park is managed by the Environment and Land Scape Division of the Urban Development Authority.
The Wetland Park is a home to many birds, other animals and insects such as butterflies, dragonflies and mammals out of which some are endemic to Sri Lanka. Further, there is also a wide variety of plants and trees to be found at the Beddagana Wetland Park.
In an attempt to introduce more leisure opportunities to the public, the Government has taken steps to revamp the Beddagana Wetland Park into a public attraction. This new development is set to give the people of Colombo and its suburbs the opportunity to see rare species of plants and animals without having to travel far.
The project comes under a larger development initiative conducted by the Urban Development Authority (UDA) to renovate and maintain all of Sri Lanka’s leisure parks. The initiative is carried out under the instructions of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his capacity as the Minister of Urban Development, Water Supply, and Housing, who also recently expedited its progress.
“Under this programme, the Beddagana Wetland Park, a wetland park with rare fauna and flora close to Colombo, has been declared an ideal place for the public to come and relax with their families.”
The wetland park was initially constructed back in 2014 spreads over an area of 20 hectares and is located in close proximity to the Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte Bird Sanctuary and the Parliament Complex.
The park is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, including rare wetland plants like white lilies and induru.
Kalupahana stated that housing such a rare ecosystem and being located close to Colombo, the park has the unique ability to facilitate both schoolchildren and university students on research matters.
“The Beddagana Wetland Park has been set up in such a way that people can use it for both relaxing as well as for research purposes, given its abundance in flora and fauna.”
Wetland ecosystems are considered rarities around the world, especially in urban settings such as this. However, she explained that Colombo is fortunate enough to host several wetland parks within its city limits and suburbs.
“There are a large number of wetlands in urban Sri Lanka. With the current rate of urbanisation seen in the world, there is a decrease in such open spaces, making the presence of these wetlands in an urban city very special. In this context, both Colombo and Kotte have the fortune of hosting several wetland ecosystems.
