Another presentation on Western Purple faced langurs

We started our campaign gain by delivering lecture on Western Purple faced langurs on the 9th of June at Rathanasara Maha Vidyalaya, Waga. Waga is an adjacent village to Labugama forest where there are many WPFL live in the natural forest conditions. This area is also identified as an area where human monkey conflict is intense. Nearly 100 students participated in the lecture and showed a great enthusiasm towards our programme. We conducted an art competition following the lecture for the students who participated.

We also visited the Kahahena Buddhist temple on our way back to discuss about up coming exhibition on WPFL. We had to postpone it until August as I am not available during month of July. I will be attending SCB conference in Chattanooga, USA where I will meet some of my friends from Birdlife International, Fauna and Flora International and Conservation International. This would be another reunion of friends whom I met last year in London and Cambridge when I visited them to talk about Spot-billed Pelicans. I am so exited to meet some of other CLP award winners this year as we all can share our successful stories in the conservation field.

I am very much thankful to Rufford Small Grant programme in UK who is supporting my traveling to the conference. Indeed they are the people who helped and encouraged me 8 years back to establish ECO-V.

Idea Wild equipment programme in USA has supported ECO-V this year with the equipment request for project in Udawalawe for Pelicans by donating a laptop and a digital camera.

The World Environmental day - 2008

Like any other environmentalist in the world I also got involved with the world environmental day celebrations on June 5th. However, personally I believe all 365 days of the year should be the world environmental days. Especially we all should try to make others aware of that and should convince others to realize the importance of being concern about the mother earth. Unfortunately for most of the citizens in the world environmental day is just another day to celebrate, to talk or to write paper articles….But let us make a difference…

The recipients of UNDP/GEF small grants were invited to participate in the exhibition called “Sobha 2008” organized by the Ministry of Environment and Natural resources on the 4th and 5th June 2008 in Colombo. “Simple life towards a sustainable future” was the theme of the exhibition. We highlighted the importance of being environmental friendly person and also talked about the Pelicans and Purple faced langurs in Sri Lanka through our exhibits. We specially highlighted the importance of home gardening and educating children on its fauna and flora for a sustainable future with emerging food crisis which is a product of climate change. We focused on the fact that there is thousands of living creatures and it is the best living laboratory to learn many concepts and ethics of the life.

We did able to sell many of our eco friendly products and also met many environmental lovers who joined us as members.