Rainforest Protectors Trust focuses on saving real acres of rainforest in Sri Lanka through purchase & permanent protection of privately held forest lands within buffer zone of Sinharaja World Heritage Rainforest and creating forest corridors to connect fragmented patches of rainforest. Having lost more than 95% of the original rainforests during the past century, we are fighting against time to protect what is remaining in this vital ecosystem which is home to most of Sri Lanka's endemic flora and fauna.

1. Rainforest Protectors Trust
Saving unprotected acres of Rainforest in Sri Lanka

2. Lowland Tropical Rainforests in Sri Lanka
► Most ecologically diverse of Sri Lanka’s 26 contiguous vegetation types.
► Variants found across the lowland wet - zone (i.e. the southwestern sector of Sri Lanka):
1. Lowland Tropical Rainforest
2. Lowland Tropical Riverine Rainforest
3. Lowland Tropical Coastal Rainforest (almost completely wiped out)
4. Mixed Monsoonal (Moist) Evergreen Forest
► The majority of the remaining Lowland Tropical Rainforests are under varying levels of protection (as of
2020), under the Department of Forest Conservation (DFC) (140 Protected Areas), the Department of
Wildlife Conservation (DWC) (5 Protected Areas) and the Central Environmental Authority (5 Protected
Areas).
► The largest and most well - known of the above mentioned 150 Protected Areas are the Sinharaja
National Forest Reserve (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the Kanneliya - Dediyagala - Nakiyadeniya
(KDN) Forest Complex (UNESCO Man & Biosphere Reserve).

3. Rainforests in Sri Lanka
 Most of Sri Lanka's endemic species
are found in the Rainforests
 Of Sri Lanka's 26 endemic birds,
20 are rainforest species
 Birds such as Sri Lanka Blue Magpie
and Red faced Malkoha are found
nowhere else on earth

4. The South Western Biodiversity Super Cluster
(Maps)

5. The South Western Biodiversity Super Cluster
(Maps)

6. Threats to Rainforests in Sri Lanka
Lowland Tropical Rainforests across the island (inclusive of all variants) are currently facing critical threats
including:
1. Encroachment
2. Deforestation
3. Poaching
4. Expanding Tea Plantations
5. Expanding Oil palm plantations
6. Complete lack of Protected Area (PA) Buffer Zones

7. Threats to Rainforests in Sri Lanka
Rainforests in Sri Lanka are currently facing significant threats due to
encroachment, deforestation and poaching. Due to lack of buffer
zones, rainforests are destroyed for expanding tea and oil palm
plantations.

8. Impacts of Deforestation
 Droughts increasing in frequency and severity
 Soil erosion and landslides
 Low agricultural yield due to uneven weather patterns (disruption of the
water cycle) and soil degradation
 Loss of wildlife, bio-diversity and extinction of species
 Increased greenhouse gases
 Loss of tourism revenue
 Loss of medicinal species that could cure rare diseases

9. Deforestation Rates in Sri Lanka
 Forest Cover in Sri Lanka
 1881 - 82%
 1920s - 49%
 2005 - 29%
 2018 - 16%
 Rate of Forest Loss (Deforestation) approximately 1.5% per annum
 Government figure of 29% forest cover is including Rubber Plantations and
Home Gardens. Actual forest reserves cover only 16%.
 Deforestation is increasing rapidly

11. About - Rainforest Protectors Trust
Registered under Land Registry in Colombo, Rainforest
Protectors Trust works towards purchasing and permanently
protecting privately held rainforest lands rich in bio-diversity
that are on sale and in danger of being destroyed.

12. Conservation- Rainforest Protectors Trust
By purchasing and protecting private rainforest land in buffer
zones, the core zone of the rainforest is effectively protected
against encroachment and deforestation.

13. Projects - Rainforest Protectors Trust
Rainforest Protectors Trust is currently focusing on the key region of
Northern Sinharaja World Heritage Rainforest where thousands of
forest acres are privately held and threatened.

14. Urgent Projects - Rainforest Protectors Trust
Project #1:
Protect 27 acres of entire hill covered with virgin rainforest in the
buffer zone of Sinharaja World Heritage Rainforest.
Project Cost: Rs. 150 lakhs + approx. Rs. 7 Lakhs for tax, survey fee & lawyer fee

15. Urgent Projects - Rainforest Protectors Trust
Project #2:
Protect 4.5 acres riverine rainforest in Illumbakanda, Sinharaja
Cost: Rs. 35 Lakhs + approx. Rs. 2 Lakhs for tax, survey fee & lawyer fee

16. Urgent Projects - Rainforest Protectors Trust
Project #3:
Protect 2 acres directly bordering Sinharaja World Heritage
Rainforest. The land is a mix of virgin and regenerating forest.
Project Cost: Rs. 12 lakhs + approx. Rs. 1 Lakh for tax, survey fee & lawyer fee

17. What happens to the land after purchase?
 Creation and management of nature trails
 Field visits for donors and regular updates
 Educational tours
 Possibility of producing premium Kitul treacle extracted from
existing Kitul trees to fund management costs
 Installation of camera traps to monitor and document wildlife
for use towards creation of conservation plans and bio-
diversity corridors

18. Rainforest Protectors Trust
www.RainforestProtectorsTrust.org