Life style
The fight to save Sri Lanka’s natural flood buffers
By Zinara Rathnayake
Pay Drechsel is going for his daily morning walk around Talangama Wetland, in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo. The sun casts a warm glow over flowering pink water lilies as a farmer scrubs down his water buffalo. A kingfisher hovers nearby. Soon, photographers will arrive to capture curved-necked egrets, waders probing for crawling worms, and little cormorants diving for freshwater fish.
Talangama Wetland and its surrounding swamps, reedbeds, canals and rice fields teem with life. But this hasn’t always been the case. About 15 years ago, these ecosystems were degraded and filled with rubbish. They were “dirty, very dirty”, says Drechsel, interim country manager at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in Colombo.
He recalls how he spent one Christmas almost a decade ago cleaning the lake, scouring for piles of rotting garbage leaking contaminants into the water, and sorting waste for recycling. To his surprise, passersby stopped and started helping him. “I realized it’s not only me, locals also appreciate it,” he says. “But like me over all the years, they may have been waiting for someone to take the lead.”
The community came together to keep the massive wetland complex clean, forming the Talangama Wetland Watch. Residents organize weekly collection runs, piling up sorted waste at a small collection unit which the municipality sends off for recycling. School kids volunteer, kayaking through the lake to dig up invasive water hyacinth.
Home to over two million residents, Colombo is built on and around a massive network of wetlands. In 2018, Colombo became one of the 18 Ramsar wetland cities in the world – an accreditation which recognizes cities for their commitment to restore, safeguard and value wetlands, with 25 new cities added to the list in 2022.
As Colombo is located in a river basin, the city is naturally prone to floods. Colombo’s wetlands act as a flood buffer, with 40% of floodwaters draining into wetland areas. They also sink carbon, purify the air and control temperatures. As temperatures warm and rains become more erratic, “wetlands are important to the city to mitigate climate change impacts”, says Chethika Gunasiri, an environmental scientist at the University of Tokyo who was part of Colombo’s Ramsar application. “Wetlands help Colombo mitigate pollution and natural disasters. They help reduce human stress as more and more people are now living in high rise buildings,” she adds.
Historically, wetlands were a “part and parcel of people’s lives in Colombo,” says Missaka Hettiarachchi, a senior fellow at the World Wildlife Fund’s environment and disaster management programme, who has been studying wetlands in Colombo for several years. Ancient kingdoms thrived in a well-managed wetland system where people used them for transport and to grow food, Hettiarachchi says.
Their downturn began in the British colonial period from the late 18th Century. When industries grew, people acquired wetlands to drain for building housing and businesses. A flood retention scheme introduced during British rule in 1924 led to the creation of man made drainage canals, preventing people from travelling through the wetlands. Although they are regularly cleaned, many of these canals are now polluted and choked with invasive plants.
“The canals are no longer enough to prevent Colombo from flooding,” says Gunasiri.
After independence in 1948, subsequent governments declared some wetlands for flood buffering, and filled up others to make space for living, Hettiarachchi says. “And people thought wetlands were also a very, very attractive space for garbage dumps, because, you know, no one is living there, right?” This meant that people dumped everything from food waste to solid waste and chemicals while releasing sewage into the wetlands.
From the 1980s, massive rubbish mountains began to appear in natural wetlands, such as Meethotamulla in the Colombo metropolitan area, which spans 100,000 sq m (107,639 sq ft) and stands 60m (197 ft) tall. The wetland was closed after one of the rubbish mountains collapsed and killed 32 people in 2017.
During the civil war (1983-2009), the encroachment of wetlands continued, as they were sold to internally displaced people, Hettiarachchi says. Some marshy wetlands turned into shrub habitats that couldn’t hold enough water to protect the city from flooding, he says. According to one study, Kolonnawa Marsh, which forms the largest part of Colombo’s flood retention belt, has lost 65% of its area since the 1800s. A 2014 study concluded that 44% of the marsh has turned into a shrubland. The soil too has changed, reducing its capacity to absorb and drain water, leading to increased flooding and disasters.
By the 2000s, the city’s wetlands were “a bloody mess”, Hettiarachchi says. During his PhD, he would ask residents living near the degraded wetlands about these ecosystems, and they would respond: “No, we don’t know any wetlands.”
The decline of the wetlands made Colombo more prone to flooding. In 2010, a series of disastrous floods affected nearly 700,000 people and submerged the country’s parliament. This led to a shift in government policy. “I think it took a few significant flooding events for the government to realize, okay, wetlands are a significant flood control mechanism, so we need to do something about it,” says Radheeka Jirasinha, a freshwater and wetland management researcher at IWMI.
As part of the ongoing revival, the government introduced the metro Colombo wetland management strategy in 2016, which aims to include wetlands in urban planning, prevent further wetland loss, restore the ecosystems and involve the local community in their conservation. Following that, wetlands were incorporated into urban infrastructure by constructing cycling tracks, jogging paths and recreational areas around them.
“The idea was to bring people to the wetlands,” Gunasiri says. The government initiatives pulled up invasive species like water hyacinth and introduced new soil and wetland plants to attract birds and other animals.
Today, Colombo is home to four wetland parks and several other recreational spaces linked by wetlands. These restored wetlands look very different from those left untended. Photographer Nazly Ahmed says that when he went to Kotte, a Colombo suburb and the administrative hub of the country, in the late 1990s to play cricket with friends, the wetlands were covered entirely by water hyacinth. This invasive weed clogs waterways, grows over native plants, reduces oxygen and creates breeding grounds for mosquitoes, and their growth is linked to poor water quality and high pollution levels.
This Colombo suburb is now home to jogging paths and bird watching spots built around the wetlands and waterways. “No one knew about wetlands then, but people are talking about wetlands now,” says Ahmed.
Gunasiri says these green infrastructure projects have helped people to engage with the city’s wetlands again and that people now flock to the urban wetland parks for an evening jog. “When these natural systems become public areas, people start to have a sense of ownership,” she says.
Jirasinha agrees. People feel that they can use these spaces now, she says. “They’re concerned about what is happening. And suddenly, people look at the water and are like, ‘Hey, it’s polluted…where is that coming from’?”
It’s not only the government that is managing Colombo’s wetlands. Community initiatives like the Talangama Wetland Watch have started to take responsibility too. “If you keep wetlands free from rubbish and maintain them, they increase the property value in urban areas,” says Drechsel, who believes people are willing to pay twice as much for land with wetland views.
Although there’s an attitude shift and residents are now aware of the value the wetlands add to the city, problems are far from over, Hettiarachchi says. After the civil war ended in 2009, Colombo’s urban population expanded rapidly. Developments sprung up, leading to the draining of wetlands for housing, businesses and infrastructure. Since 2009, Colombo has lost 2.12 sq km (0.8 sq miles) of its wetlands.
According to a 2024 study, wetlands absorb 62.1mm more floodwater than built up areas in Colombo. Despite collective efforts to clean and restore some of the city’s wetlands, the overall loss of wetland area means that Colombo is becoming more vulnerable to floods, the 2024 study notes.
The Ramsar accreditation pushed the state government to temporarily suspend filling and destroying any wetlands. “So there’s definitely proactive action to safeguard the city’s wetlands, but we need a coordinated effort from government, non-profits and communities to stop their degradation,” says Chaturangi Wickramaratne, a freshwater ecologist at IWMI.
Gunasiri explains that wetland education is vital for citizens to understand their importance in urban resilience. “More and more wetlands need to be a part of the city’s functions, linked to people’s well-being, so people begin to care about them more,” she says.
Wetlands can also help with the city’s food shortages, says Hettiarachchi. “You don’t need irrigation systems to grow food, you can use these ecosystems – they are also fabulous breeding grounds for fish,” he says.
Behind the new use of Colombo’s wetlands for people’s well-being, Gunasiri notes an underlying urgency to protect these ecosystems. “If we lose our wetlands, Colombo will be unliveable.
“BBC”
Life style
Spectacular Christmas tree lighting ceremony
The festive spirit came alive at Shangri-La Colombo as the hotel hosted its much-anticipated Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on 28th November 2024. This enchanting evening marked the beginning of the holiday season, bringing together guests, families and the community to celebrate in style and splendor.
This year’s theme, Christmas in the Air, added a whimsical touch to the occasion. The event unfolded in the lobby lounge, adorned with lights, enchanting hot air balloons and the centerpiece of the night – a magnificent Christmas tree standing tall as a beacon of joy. Guests were welcomed with the harmonious melodies of a live choir performing classic Christmas carols, setting a magical tone for the evening.
General Manager, Herve Duboscq addressed the crowd, expressing gratitude and sharing the joy of the season. “The holiday season is a time to come together, reflect and create lasting memories. We are delighted to begin this cherished tradition, bringing the warmth and magic of Christmas to our guests and the vibrant city of Colombo,” said Duboscq.
The highlight of the evening was a heartwarming countdown as Herve Duboscq, joined by excited little children, lit up the towering Christmas tree. The dazzling display of lights and ornaments drew cheers of delight from the crowd. Adding to the festive cheer, Santa Claus made a surprise appearance, spreading joy and gifting sweet treats to delighted children. Guests indulged in a curated selection of holiday delicacies, including mulled wine, Christmas sweets and savory delights.
Life style
ITC -First Christmas in the City of Colombo
The enchanting festive season is upon us and ITC Ratnadipa – A luxury collection hotel Colombo, unveiled their very first Christmas recently with an elegant Christmas tree lighting ceremony, held at Sagara, Level 2, the hotel’s expansive lobby.
The towering, Instagram-able Christmas tree soars high with dazzling décor, that reflects the hotel’s beautiful interior. Bows, tinsel and ornaments make this tree a sight to behold. The hotel has been decked with twinkling lights, and a mini-Christmas village has been set against the backdrop of the Ocean, located in the lobby for more holiday sparkle, embodying the creative spirit of both the hotel and the Christmas season.
The whimsical setting you’ll want to spend the festive season immersed in, continues throughout the hotel with the prancing deer, friendly gnomes and Santa’s magical sleigh, ready to bring to life, the flurry of festive activities.
“It is our absolute pleasure to have you all here and also unveil our very first Christmas” said Sujeet Kumar, General Manager, ITC Ratnadipa. “We are shining even brighter this festive season as the spirit of Christmas sweeps through our grandiose spaces. We thank you all for welcoming us to this beautiful island home, and for supporting us since the launch in April”. He further stated.
The hotel is set to go all out this season with the Chefs preparing lavish seasonal feasts and courses upon courses to delight your tastebuds. Blends that evoke the classic flavours of Christmas will be available throughout the season with festive afternoon teas, happy hours and a range of offerings at all restaurants and bars.
Guests are invited to share their festive moments on social media with the hashtag #XmasAtITCRatnadipa during the Christmas season.
For reservations, please contact the hotel on 0117 856 500
Life style
‘Tis the season to sparkle and shine!
The holiday magic was in full swing at the Taj Samudra, Colombo, as they kicked off the festive season with a heartwarming Christmas tree lighting ceremony on December 2nd, 2024. The celebration was made even more special by a soulful performance from the Blind Choir, filling the air with joy and festive spirit a release said
A warm welcome was extended to the in house guests by the Area Director Taj Maldives & Sri Lanka, . Samrat Datta, and his team. . To make the night even more special, Guests were also treated to a mesmerizing performance by a talented musical duo from Budapest, Hungary. The Duo will be performing at The Lattice lobby lounge from Tuesday to Sunday during the evenings.
The release said “Come join us and experience the festive magic with our exciting seasonal events.’’
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