News
Community-led action plan to remove alien invasive plant in Horton Plains
The “Strengthening Activism for Environmental Rights (SAFER)” project, funded by the European Union, is implemented by Acted in partnership with Green Movements of Sri Lanka (GMSL), Landsea Maldives (LSM), and the 3Zero House in Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
This project, which started in March 2023 and will run until August 2025, aims to strengthen local communities and civil society organizations (CSOs) to protect natural resources and promote environmental rights in Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
As part of this project, the Environmental “Bio-Conservation Programme” was launched to encourage community participation, support environmental action, and share lessons learned. The community-led environmental action to remove Ulex europaeus, commonly known as gorse, an alien invasive plant threatening the park’s biodiversity. Ulex is a thorny evergreen shrub native to Western Europe, which aggressively invades montane grasslands, outcompeting native flora and posing a significant fire hazard in the Horton Plains National Park. Managing this invasive species is crucial to preserving the unique ecosystems and endemic species of the park. Continuous removal of the species from the field is one of the strategies to overcome the issue.
The event will take place on February 27, 2025, with the involvement of the Department of Wildlife Conservation, the Nuwara Eliya District Secretariat Office, the Green Movements Sri Lanka, Janathakshan, local activists, and the community in the areas. Approximately 120 participants, including community members and officials, will collaborate to clear 50,000 square meters of invasive plants in the National Park.
This initiative also aims to raise awareness among activists and participants about the effective management of alien invasive plants and the cleaning programme.
This effort highlights the importance of protecting the area’s ecosystems while promoting local leadership. It encourages communities to act on environmental issues and sets an example for collaboration among stakeholders.
The activity supports SAFER’s goals of environmental conservation and empowering local communities while sharing knowledge on managing natural resources effectively.
A discussion with the Catholic Council was held on Thursday (21) afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat under the co-chairmanship of Minister of Science and Technology, Chrishantha Abeysena and Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.
Discussions focused on administrative issues relating to Catholic schools taken over by the Government, the formulation of a structured teacher cadre system for Catholic religious education, the need to recruit Catholic nuns and priests into the teaching profession and the establishment of a mechanism to obtain the support of the Ministry of Education for the administration of Government-acquired Catholic schools.
It was also decided that discussions with the Catholic Council would be held three times annually, while Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage would serve as Secretary to the forum.
Expressing appreciation on behalf of the Catholic Council, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith thanked President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Government for facilitating the discussion.
His Eminence further stated that the expectation was to ensure every student, without discrimination, is given the opportunity to learn his or her own religion and stressed the importance of resolving the prevailing issues within the education sector.
Also present at the occasion were Most Rev. Bishop Harold Anthony Perera, Most Rev. Bishop Christy Noel Emmanuel, Most Rev. Bishop Anton Ranjith, Most Rev. Bishop Wimal Siri Jayasuriya, other clergy representing the Catholic Council, Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Nalaka Kaluwewa and senior officials of the Ministry of Education.
(PMD)
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided to broaden the Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy, which was launched last year. Unlike the inaugural edition held in November 2025 that featured eight Associate teams, the second edition will comprise 10 teams, including five Test-playing nations. The tournament is scheduled to be held in November this year.
Italian Navy’s ITS GIOVANNI DELLE BANDE NERE, which arrived in Colombo (21 May 2026) on a replenishment visit, departed the island today (22 May).
The Sri Lanka Navy bade a customary farewell to the departing ship in compliance with naval traditions at the port of Colombo.
During her brief stay in Colombo, the Commanding Officer of the ship, Commander Antonio BUFIS called on the Commander Western Naval Area at the Western Naval Command Headquarters.
Catholic Council reconvenes after nine years
ICC to widen Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy
Italian Navy’s ITS GIOVANNI DELLE BANDE NERE departs following replenishment visit
PM meets Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations
Tennessee execution called off after failed lethal injection
Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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