Earth hour 2018 - Adopt a Plant

As you may know, adverse effects due the climate change continue to wreak havoc across the globe whilst the staggering loss of biodiversity threatens to dull the world of its natural beauty. In such context, the Earth Hour 2018-2020 endeavours to spark conversations on the loss of nature and the urgent need to protect it. Therefore as a timely need, the SriLankan Environment Unit organised, ‘Adopt a plant’ a unique innovative project to unite the nature loving SriLankan staff towards making a worthy contribution to preserve the Nature’s essence.

The mangroves in Sri Lanka are small in extent and decreasing rapidly, hence it is appropriate at this time to emphasize the conservation of our mangroves. As you may aware that mangroves are the islands first line of defence in any natural threats from sea, such as coastal erosion to extremes such as ‘Tsunami’. Fight against these threats, mangroves plays a huge role but due human interventions and pollution have made mangroves decay and destroyed, leaving the coasts vulnerable.

Mangrove forests are also home and nurseries to a large variety of fish, crab, shrimp, and mollusc species. These aquatic lives also form an essential source of livelihoods for thousands of coastal communities around the world whilst providing valuable ecosystem services which are estimated at $194,000 per hectare annually based on a study conducted in 2014. Also mangroves act as a vessel for carbon storage with a carbon absorbency rate which is 2 to 4 times greater than mature tropical forests. Hence, conserving mangroves is essential to the fight against climate change.  

‘Adopt a plant’, The Environment Unit took the opportunity to design a unique project in such a way to engage with staff and making a collective effort to tackle a current issue. The Airline staff were given an opportunity to volunteer and adopt a ‘Kaduru’ plant for 2 months. They were asked to nurture the plant and return it back to the Environment unit to be planted at the shores of Negombo Lagoon. Once the Kaduru plants were nurtured, on earth hour day, 150 plants were planted at a pre-selected location at Negombo lagoon with the help of Environment volunteers of SriLankan, a team from the Department of Coastal Conservation and the local community. This project was an exemplary project which showcases the inspirational gesture that truly spoke volumes of love and kindness that our staff possess as nature lovers.