Bureau Veritas Sri Lanka, part of the world leader in laboratory testing, inspection and certification services recently stepped up to sponsor and participate with a project aimed at the reforestation of Bundala National Park, Hambanthota in view of its efforts towards nature conservation, by contributing to maintain the ecosystem balance and biodiversity, said a press release.

Bureau Veritas has set a target to achieve carbon neutrality as an organization by 2050. Their efforts towards this goal began in 2020 and encompass a range of environmental initiatives. These include implementing solar energy systems to reduce energy consumption, adopting measures to minimize water usage, implementing waste reduction strategies, actively reducing the use of Ozone Depletion Substances (ODS), promoting paper consumption reduction, and participating in projects to offset carbon emissions through tree planting initiatives.

The project organized by the HSSE department of Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services Lanka (Pvt) Ltd together with partners Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) and Vidul Plantation Pvt Ltd, kickstarted with an event on 10th June 2023 and saw the participation of many employees including its General Manager, Harsha Wanasinghe. The Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) along with the University of Sri Jayewardenepura was the project advisory partners.

The primary objective is to restore the natural habitat by enabling the natural flora species to flourish in Hambanthota District. Under this project, a total of around 681 seedlings will be planted per acre at an 8 x 8-foot spacing, consisting of Wood apple, Wild Mango, Weera, Palu, Maliththan varieties.

With the new generation of seedling, the maintenance of this plant nursery will include a complete overseeing, from planning the replanting with the onset of rain, site cleaning and digging the holes, to plant placements and soiling including protectors.