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Islands of Hope: Geoffrey Bawa Trust and WNPS PLANT unite to restore Lanka’s vanishing ecosystems

Published

7 months ago

2025/08/10

Honduwa Island

In a landmark collaboration that blends ecological stewardship with cultural heritage, the Geoffrey Bawa Trust, through its partner The Lunuganga Trust, has joined with the Preserving Land and Nature (Guarantee) Limited (PLANT), to restore and further protect two island locations in the mangrove rich southern region of Sri Lanka. Launched with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed recently, this long-term initiative revolves around Honduwa and Appaladuwa, two ecologically significant but often overlooked islands nestled in the tranquil waters of the Bentota lagoon, a news release from the Wild Life and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) said.

Spanning over 24 acres of mangrove and semi-forested land, the islands are dedicated to long-term conservation and habitat restoration with specific targets outlined in the MoU. At a time when forest preservation in Sri Lanka is heavily reliant on state-managed reserves, this partnership is a further testament to a visionary model spearheaded by the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) for private land conservation, where civil society and heritage stewards take the lead in protecting biodiversity.

The Geoffrey Bawa Trust: Where Architecture Meets Ecology

Founded to protect and promote the legacy of Sri Lanka’s most celebrated architect, the Geoffrey Bawa Trust manages a portfolio of architectural and landscape treasures, including the iconic Lunuganga Estate. The Lunuganga Trust bears the organization’s ecological mandate, and stewards associated lands such as Honduwa and Appaladuwa, originally set aside by Geoffrey Bawa for environmental preservation. Building on Bawa’s emphasis on ecology and environmental studies as complements to art and architecture, the Trust today advances that vision through conservation projects (www.geoffreybawa.com). The presence of the Critically Endangered Hog Deer (Axis porcinus) on Honduwa island makes the conservation initiative especially significant.

As Channa Daswatte, the Chairperson of the Geoffrey Bawa and Lunuganga Trusts noted, “This is far more than a simple conservation project. It is a deliberate continuation of Bawa’s enduring legacy that invites us to see land not just as a passive backdrop for architectural design, but as a dynamic, living entity that evolves over time. It calls upon us to recognize the intrinsic value of the land itself, honoring it as something sacred and deserving of careful stewardship and protection for generations to come. In WNPS PLANT, we have a passionate partner who shares a vision for Sri Lanka in which people and species can better coexist”.

WNPS PLANT: A Conservation Vision Rooted in Connectivity

Established under the wings of the WNPS, PLANT is a visionary conservation initiative dedicated to restoring habitat connectivity through privately owned lands. Its flagship initiative, Emerald Trails, seeks to build a network of forest corridors and private conservation spaces, especially in the country’s endemic-rich southwestern quadrant, linking fragmented ecosystems and providing safe passage for wildlife. With work already underway in over 30 locations, PLANT combines science, restoration, and long-term land stewardship (www.plantsl.org).

“We are delighted and honoured to partner with the Bawa Trust and its properties,” says Sriyan de Silva Wijeyeratne, Chairman of PLANT. “This partnership is especially meaningful because it allows us to connect conservation with cultural heritage. We are creating ecosystems, and, in this case, we are not just working with land; we are working with legacy. It is a powerful reminder that stewardship can replace ownership and that conservation can be a cultural act as much as an ecological one. Many large cultural locations have the opportunity to allocate some spaces for conservation as well, which is when culture truly embraces humanity holistically. We hope this engagement will inspire other partners to follow this thought process”, he further added.

A Blueprint for Restoration

The MoU outlines a multi-faceted plan centered on habitat protection, research, education, and community engagement. At the heart of the agreement is a commitment to protect the entire island forest area from deforestation, agriculture, or major development. To establish a scientific baseline and monitor ecological progress, the partners will initiate a biodiversity survey in the project’s first year, collaborating with experts across academia and conservation practice. Restoration efforts will include the planting of a few thousand native trees and understory plants, carefully selected for ecological compatibility and planted under expert supervision. Extra focus will also go into the removal of invasive species and the strengthening of the Hog Deer population, with active work aimed at improving their habitat quality, food sources and population health.

“The project also includes a strong educational component. The islands will serve as living classrooms for researchers and conservation professionals, with opportunities for ecological studies and learning exchanges. We also hope to engage local community as conservation practitioners and ecological stewards through dialogue and collaboration. To ensure long-term sustainability of the project, the two organizations will jointly develop a fundraising strategy targeting local and international donors and funds will be used to support habitat restoration, ecosystem monitoring, education, and outreach” said Soham Kacker, Curator of Living Collections at Lunuganga.

Where Nature and Legacy Converge

Bawa’s design ethos celebrated the integration of the built form with the surrounding environment. This partnership reimagines the ecological dimensions of that philosophy through native trees, regenerating undergrowth, and the quiet return of wildlife. As Sri Lanka grapples with climate instability and increasing habitat fragmentation, the significance of this partnership extends beyond the islands themselves. The PLANT initiative serves as a compelling model for decentralized, citizen-led conservation. It demonstrates how visionary landowners, heritage organizations, and conservationists can collectively protect what is too often overlooked- small, fragmented, but ecologically vital landscapes.

Once known primarily for their proximity to cultural heritage sites, Honduwa and Appaladuwa are now being shaped into thriving habitats through ecological restoration. Camera traps will monitor returning wildlife; native species will be reintroduced and nurtured. Slowly, the rhythms of natural forest life will return. In a time when environmental headlines are dominated by loss, this project offers a quiet but powerful counter-narrative: that restoration is possible, that heritage can drive conservation, and that even forgotten forests can be islands of hope.

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Attorney At Law S K Sangakkara pasess away

Published

13 hours ago

2026/03/3

Priyan

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Mr. S. K. Sangakkara, Attorney-at-Law. He was the loving husband of Kumarie, beloved father to Thusharie, Vemindra, Saranga, and Kumar, loved father-in-law to Sanjay, Nipuni, Ru, and Yehali, adored grand father to Thehan, Methvan, Nethya, Vinaya, Kaya, Seth, Kavith and Swyree.

His remains will lie at his residence in Kandy for relatives and friends to pay their last respects. We also ask that the privacy of the family be respected.

The funeral will take place on the 4th of March 2026 at 6.00 p.m. at the Mahaiyawa Cemetery, Kandy. The cortège will leave the residence at 4.30 p.m.

He will be dearly missed by his loving family, friends, colleagues, and all who knew him.

News

Socialist Alliance expresses concern over GoSL’s growing military ties with US

Published

23 hours ago

2026/03/3

Thilina Walpola

The Socialist Alliance, comprising the Lanka Sama Samaja Party, the Communist Party of Sri Lanka, the Democratic Left Front and the Sri Lanka Mahajana Party, in a statement issued yesterday (02) strongly and unequivocally condemned the US and Israel for killing the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the latest acts of military aggression carried out by those two countries against Teheran.

“These attacks represent a grave violation of international law, an assault on the sovereignty of a United Nations member state, and a threat for uncontrollable conflict, which may escalate into a third World War,” the Socialist Alliance said.

Text of the statement: ‘The Socialist Alliance is alarmed with the growing military contacts between Sri Lanka and United States in evolving geo-political developments in the context of middle – east war and beyond.

“The Socialist Alliance condemns strongly the National People’s Power (NPP) government’s deepening military cooperation with the United States. The recent transfers of US naval and aviation assets and operational integration into US-led commands represent a dangerous abandonment of the country’s longstanding non-aligned foreign policy. It may lead to Sri Lanka being involved in US President Trump’s illegal aggression against Iran.

“According to the Ministry of Defence the United States has now provided a total of four former US Coast Guard cutters and 10 TH-57 Sea Ranger (Bell 206) helicopters to the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) and Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF). These acquisitions have transformed Sri Lanka into one of the largest operators of former US Coast Guard vessels in the Indo-Pacific. While the government frames the transfers as enhancing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief capabilities, the vessels’ operational history and specifications are evidence of a darker purposes.

“The two high endurance cutters of the Hamilton class are offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) most suited for deep-sea surveillance and high-seas operations. They are not merely for coastal defense, the type being commonly deployed with US Navy carrier battle groups. They are designed for power projection and are being used to integrate Sri Lanka into U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) operations in the Middle East.

The operational deployment of these assets has already begun. The Sri Lanka Navy has committed an OPV to the US-led “Operation Prosperity Guardian” in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, operating under Combined Task Force 153 (CTF 153). This task force falls under the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), which is commanded by a US Navy Vice Admiral who simultaneously serves as Commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) and the US Fifth Fleet, headquartered in Manama, Bahrain.

“This means Sri Lankan naval officers and ships now operate directly under US-led command structures. It provides the US with a Navy that can operate within its command framework, freeing US assets for higher-end missions, effectively making our forces a subordinate component of the American war machine.

“In a significant escalation of this integration, Sri Lanka assumed command of Combined Task Force 154 (CTF 154) in January 2025. This multinational maritime training task force, operating under the US Fifth Fleet, is responsible for training personnel across the Middle East. This is not as a sign of national prestige, but a mechanism that gives the US-led coalition greater legitimacy and deepens Sri Lanka’s entanglement in American strategic objectives.

“This must also be seen in context of the recent signing of a Defence Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under the State Partnership Programme (SPP) between the Sri Lankan Armed Forces and the Montana National Guard in November 2025, which is a pretext for embedding US military structures within Sri Lanka.

“This is not non-alignment. This is alignment. It is a complete subservience to the US Indo-Pacific strategy, making a mockery of the principles of sovereignty and peaceful coexistence that once defined our foreign policy.

“This alignment with the US poses an immediate danger, Sri Lanka risks being dragged into the illegal US–Israeli aggression against Iran, our long-standing friend.

“The Socialist Alliance calls for,

1. The immediate disassociation of the Government of Sri Lanka and the Armed Forces from the illegal US-Israeli aggression against Iran.

2. The immediate cessation of all joint military operations with US forces, including the withdrawal of Sri Lankan personnel from US-led commands in Bahrain and the Red Sea.

3. A full public disclosure of all agreements, including the India-Sri Lanka defence MoU and the recent US State Partnership Programme agreement, whose contents remain secret.

4. A parliamentary inquiry into whether these military pacts will lead to a full Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), potentially granting US forces access to Sri Lankan ports, airports, and military infrastructure.

5. A return to a genuine non-aligned foreign policy that serves the interests of the Sri Lankan people, not the geopolitical ambitions of foreign powers.

“The NPP government was elected on a platform of change, yet it is presiding over the most significant erosion of our sovereignty in decades. We call upon all anti-imperialist, patriotic, and democratic forces to unite in opposition to this drift toward war and the surrender of our national independence.”

News

FSP proposes self-governing regions, bicameral legislature to address national issue

Published

23 hours ago

2026/03/3

Thilina Walpola

Duminda Nagamuwa addressing the gathering

Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) Propaganda Secretary Duminda Nagamuwa has said that establishment of self- governing regions, bicameral legislature consisting of two Houses and recognition of upcountry Tamils as Sri Lankans would be necessary to solve the national issue. Nagamuwa declared that the FSP was ready to spearhead the fight to achieve those objectives.

Nagamuwa, a senior member of the breakaway faction of the JVP, said so at the fourth annual convention of the party held at the Sugathadasa Indoor stadium on Sunday (01). Nagamuwa stressed that a bicameral legislature was necessary to prevent the passage of laws targeting a particular community.

Alleging that the JVP had disregarded the FSP’s advice not to pursue UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe’s strategy, Nagamuwa emphasised that the national problem couldn’t be resolved under the present system.

Declaring that daunting challenges couldn’t be addressed by pursuing neo-liberal policies, the FSPer reiterated their commitment to, what he called, a people-centric economic agenda.

At the onset of his speech, Nagamuwa said that the FSP launched political activities, under extremely difficult circumstances, more than one and half decades ago. Referring to the abduction and the disappearance of Lalith Kumar Weeraraja and Kugan Muruganandan, in Jaffna, on Dec, 9, 2011, Nagamuwa said that they wouldn’t give up their struggle, regardless of the continuing threats.

Commenting on its role in the Aragalaya protest that forced President Gotabaya Rajapaksa out of office, in July 2022, Nagamuwa said that the FSP joined the people at a time some declared their inability to participate in a leaderless campaign. Nagamuwa was referring to the JVP’s initial reaction to the protest campaign. According to Nagamuwa, Ranil Wickremesinghe, having received the presidency through illegal means, sought to proscribe the FSP as he resented their role in Aragalaya.

Nagamuwa also found fault with the JVP for backing Maithripala Sirisena’s candidature at the 2015 presidential election. The ex-JVPer said that his former party simply joined the group that declared that Sirisena’s victory would pave the way for the abolition of the executive presidency. The FSP Propaganda Secretary accused Anura Kumara Dissanayake of following Wickremesinghe’s harmful IMF policy that may cause significant damage to the EPF and ETF funds.

The FSP also attacked the JVP-led NPP government over the ongoing moves to introduce a new anti-terrorism law, in place of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). That move was meant to suppress democratic rights of the people and right to dissent, Nagamuwa said, while questioning, what he called, the incumbent government’s undisclosed agreements with the US and India. Nagamuwa also pointed out that those who campaigned on an anti-corruption platform were now struggling to cope up with such accusations regarding the coal procurement deal.

Nagamuwa said that either the government should take tangible measures against corruption or the crooks will take hold of the current dispensation. Anti-corruption actions wouldn’t be on political platform at any future election, Nagamuwa predicted.

Nagamuwa said that the NPP had been fragmented and it was only a question of time the current dispensation faced public protests over its policies, particularly giving in to IMF demands and India. The SJB’s Sajith Premadasa and SLPP’s Namal Rajapaksa couldn’t fill the political vacuum caused by the disintegration of the NPP, Nagamuwa said that their move was to empower the people.

Nagamuwa said that those who propagated racism to grab power couldn’t succeed again. According to him such projects couldn’t achieve political objectives, Nagamuwa said while referring to several incidents, including the burning of the Jaffna library and violence in Darga town.

By Shamindra Ferdinando