A special conservation and clean-up program was launched on Friday to protect the biodiversity of the Diyagama forest ecosystem located within the Homagama Divisional Secretariat area.
The initiative was held under the patronage of Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage and Member of Parliament Anura Panagoda, with the participation of government institutions, university communities and volunteer organizations.
Officials from the Homagama Divisional Secretariat and representatives of the ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ Secretariat joined the effort alongside several environmental and youth groups.
Members of the Leo Club of University of Colombo and students and academics from the Faculty of Botany, University of Colombo actively contributed to the programme.
In addition to removing illegally dumped waste from the forest area, participants carried out a tree-planting campaign aimed at preserving the natural characteristics of the forest ecosystem.
Addressing the gathering, Minister Gamage said the forest system surrounding the Diyagama Mahinda Rajapaksa Sports Complex is an environmentally significant zone for the region.
He said plans are being explored to promote eco-tourism centered on the forest ecosystem, while assuring that development activities would not be allowed to harm the environment.
The minister also noted that protective fencing and public awareness programmes would be introduced to maintain the cleanliness and conservation of the area.
The programme, which saw significant participation from schoolchildren, concluded with discussions on future measures to safeguard the biodiversity of the Diyagama forest for future generations. (Newswire)
