SriLankan School Green Club Visit Diyasaru Park, Thalawathugoda
2/26/2019
Expanding to 60 acres, the Sri Lanka’s first ever Thalawathugoda Wetland Park is located within a highly urbanized area in the close proximity of the Parliament Complex in Sri Jawardenepura Kotte, Sri Lanka (within Greater Colombo). As the first educational field visit for the year, SriLankan Environment unit took the members of SriLankan School Green Club to this spectacular wetland on the 26th February, in order to raise the awareness of this important eco-system. A 20 member group with masters-in-charge from Andiambalama Maha Vidyalaya participated in this visit and they had a very successful day at the field.
Regarding a little bit of history about the park, this park was originally a paddy land and in late 1970s the area was used to deposit the dredge material of the newly created parliament lake. Over the time this area started to naturally convert into a new eco-system and at present it has evolved in to this beautiful piece of land which home for variety of animals and plant species.
As this area is rich with bio-diversity, it provide many eco-system services to the environment. Some of these eco-system services’ are, serving as a flood detention area, absorbing rain water during heavy storms and protect the parliament and surrounding area from being inundated. Also this wetland helps to lowering the city temperature, along with other benefits such as providing a place for students to conduct biodiversity research & studies, and also providing a recreational area for lovers of nature.
SriLankan School Green Club members were very much involved in the entire learning process and had many questions regarding the wetland. Ms. Chethika Gunasiri, the custodian of the Wetland development park spend many hours explaining the importance, its services, the biodiversity and the species in the park while emphasising the importance of preserving the wetland.
Ms. Gunasiri elaborated that this wetland park serves as refuge to many different animals and marshy plants, especially a temporary home for several migratory birds. More than 50 species of birds, over 25 butterfly species, many types of fishes and dragonflies have been recorded from the site. Further she briefed that the most interesting species found in this park are fishing cat (globally and nationally threatened), Eurasian otter and the estuarine crocodile. The Purple-faced leaf monkey, a long-tailed arboreal languor endemic to Sri Lanka is also seen at Thalawathugoda Wetland Park.
As it was encouraging to see these younger generation get involved in these type of field visits and actively engage in the conversation. As their interest and love for the nature expands its better for the future and also for the conservation efforts. Up keeping these type of eco-systems, also called ‘Lungs of the nature’ is going to be their duty in future but developing them to be the responsible human beings who would do that task is our duty, which SriLankan Environment unit has a great pride in actively engaged with.
The Diyasaru Park, Thalawathugoda is managed by the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation and at present Wetland Management Unit, separate unit from the SLLR&DC handles the same. If the time permits, visit Diyasaru Park, Thalawathugoda where SriLankan Environment Unit actively work with to promote and conserve as part of their ‘Conservation through Education’ initiative. Witness the urban wilderness and enjoy the tranquillity of a natural wetland which is in close proximity to the capital city.