The current levels of effective management and conservation work being carried out in relation to Sri Lanka’s marine and coastal ecosystems is inadequate and need greater efforts considering that over one million people make a living from marine resources. With the reduction in conflict and increase in safety, tourism and investment comes an opportunity to help preserve and regenerate some of Sri Lanka’s unique and economically important marine and coastal ecosystems and biodiversity while benefiting local communities through preserving and restoring sources of food and income.

The Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society is currently working to establish a broad spectrum, long term marine research and conservation center on the west coast of Sri Lanka. The center will provide a base to enable monitoring, education, hands on conservation and research into the unique and sensitive Sri Lankan marine environment in relation to climate change, pollution and resource use.

The Marine Project is based in the Kalpitiya Peninsular in the Northwestern Province in the Puttalam District. The project focuses on both brackish water and marine ecosystems in an effort to understand the synergies, correlations and co-dependency between these two environments to make Kalpitiya one of the most biologically diverse marine ecosystems in Sri Lanka. The Kalpitiya-Karaitive-Puttalam Coastal Wetlands Complex includes the Puttalam Lagoon, which is the largest inland brackish water body in Sri Lanka. The Puttalam Lagoon was identified as a wetland of international importance and listed in the Directory of Asian Wetlands in 1989.

The Marine Project is based on joint and innovative research and collaborative spirit that encourages civil society participation and citizen science. The Marine Project will be a practical demonstration of integrating scientific research and community-based conservation with the principles of ecotourism, green technology and sustainable development.

Our efforts will contribute to increasing the knowledge about Sri Lanka’s marine resources and in their conservation and sustainable management.

The Marine Project offers volunteers the opportunity to participate in field work to study as well as help in the conservation of threatened and endangered marine, coastal and lagoon environments by supporting and assisting the SLWCS research scientists in their activities.

Economic incentives play a crucial role in nature conservation at all levels of society―local to global. It is particularly important to have appropriate incentives for marine conservation since marine resource use is very closely linked to rural coastal communities livelihoods.

The SLWCS Marine Project is a broad spectrum, long term marine research and conservation project that will develop a new paradigm for community-based marine conservation in Sri Lanka.

For information about the Marine Project Volunteering Program please contact us at: info@slwcs.org

Big, rumbling thanks to our Corporate Partners for their kind support and to everyone who has donated and supported our wildlife conservation efforts!
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Photo Credits:

Ruvini Weerasinghe/SLWCS
Chinthaka Weerasinghe/SLWCS
Lasun Anuranga/SLWCS
Asitha Lakmal/SLWCS
Ravi Corea/SLWCS
Ajantha Palliyawadana (pink dolphins)
Pelagikos (dead dugong)