Flowering palm trees attract tourists at Peradeniya Botanical Gardens in Kandy in Sri Lanka (Text and pix. by; Harsha Udayakantha Peiris)

The two palm trees in their full bloom at the Peradeniya Botanical Garden in Kandy, have become a reason to attract more and more tourists to the garden these days. Both local and specially the foreign tourists who amaze to see these rarely seen palm flowers are seemed to make Peradeniya Botanical Garden a definite destination, over the hearing of the two palm trees in their full bloom.
"It’s amazing. I have heard that a palm tree does not flower for maybe 100 years and when it’s like this it can be mistaken for other types of palms as well. I took several pictures so that I can show it as a great token of my visit to the Botanical Gardens in Kandy”, said a young student from Belgium who had been visiting the Peradeniya Botanical Garden during her mid term university vacation.
The palm flower grows out of the top of the tree and starts to spread once the tree reaches its complete maturity. The branches of this shoot then become covered in hundreds of tiny white flowers that ooze with nectar, attracting insects and birds. The effort of flowering and fruiting depletes the tree so much that within a few months it collapses and dies.

Beruwala Head; A Definite Destination to be Visited in Sri Lanka (Text and pix. by Harsha Udayakantha Peiris)

Beruwala, located 60 km South of Colombo on the main west coast road (Galle road), makes perfect location for the holidaying of both local and foreign tourism enthusiasts. Moragalla beach located further slightly north of Beruwale has been practically merged with Beruwala in terms of holidaying.
The name Beruwala is derived from the Sinhalese words Ba Ruvala (lower the sail).
Beruwala is well-know for one of the famous West Coast Lighthouses in the island
namely, the Barberyn (Beruwala) Head. The light house built in 1890 is still active with a white flash every 20 second when in operation from late evening to early morning.
The focal plane of the head is of 46 metres (151 ft). The small island several kilometers off the Beruwala fisheries harbour where this 34 metre (112 ft) round granite tower with lantern and gallery, painted white is situated, is a perfect single day holidaying location for both the local and foreign tourist. A boat to the lighthouse could be easily hired from the nearby fisheries harbour during the day time.
With the end of the nearly 30 years of terrorism in the country, restrictions are currently being lowered for the visitors to reach such magnificent destinations around the country that offer an excellent view of the coastline.
If properly addressed, with timely constructed further infrastructure facilities to these types of sites, the authorities can promote these historical locations as land mark sites that could be included specially in the itineraries of the foreign tourist in the near future as the trade of tourism is apparently reaching a full boom with the dawn of a sustainable peace in the country.

Beautiful Orchids at the Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya in Kandy in Sri Lanka (Text and pix. by Harsha Udayakantha Peiris)

Royal Botanical Garden, Peradeniya in Sri Lanka is located in close proximity to the city of Kandy in the Central Province of the country. It is well known for the collection the variety of Orchids, consisting over 300 varieties of Orchids, spices, medicinal plants and palms trees in it. It is the National Herbarium. The total land mass of the botanical garden is 147 acres, situated 460 Meters above sea level with a 200 day annual rain fall, it is managed by the Division of National Botanic Gardens of the Department of Agriculture.

The origins of the Botanical Gardens dates as far back as 1371 when King Wickramabahu III ascended the throne and kept court at Peradeniya near Mahaweli river. This was followed by King Kirti Sri and King Rajadhi Rajasinghe. A temple was built on this location by King Wimaladharma but it was destroyed by the British when they were given control over the Kandyan Kingdom. Thereafter, the ground work for a Botanical Garden was formed by Mr Alexandar Moon in 1821. Botanical Garden at Peradeniya was formally established and plants from Kew Garden at Slave island, Colombo and from the Kalutara Garden in Kalutara were moved up until 1843. The Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya was made more independent and expanded under Mr. George Gardner as its superintendent in 1844. The gardens came under the administration of the Department of Agriculture when it was established in 1912.

Following is a pictorial text of the beautiful Orchids at the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens at a recent visit to it.

CIDA/IFAD/FAO project launches Clean-Up Programme to save the Kapparathota Coral Reef in Weligama Bay (By Harsha Udayakantha Peiris)

As part of the Canada International Development Agency (CIDA)/International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) funded project to enhance the capacity of the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in partnership with the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (MFAR) launched a programme recently to clean the Kapparathota Coral Reef in Weligama Bay.
Coral reefs are the breeding and nursery grounds for a large number of marine species. In addition, they provide coastal protection. They are also important for coastal tourism and for the marine fish industry. During the recent past, coral reefs have been degraded on a global scale due to man-made and natural causes. Destructive fishing methods, coastal development and uncontrolled resource exploitation has had a serious negative impact on the status of live coral reefs and subsequently the marine life that depends on these reefs. Coral reefs, including those in Sri Lanka were further affected in 1998 during the widespread coral bleaching event and the 2004 tsunami. Their recovery has been slow and variable.
A resource survey of marine aquarium species recently carried out under the CIDA/IFAD/FAO project has revealed that most coral reef habitats in the southern coast of Sri Lanka have been seriously degraded, posing a significant risk to the sustainable continuity of the fisheries industry. High pollution levels and physical damage to coral reefs have lowered their potential to recover. These findings were presented at two stakeholder meetings held in the Matara District, where unanimous consensus was reached to take action. As a result, efforts are underway and will continue through this clean up programme to save the Kapparathota Coral Reef, which is the last remaining living, extensive reef in the Southern coast.
The programme is continuing to raise environmental awareness of the deteriorating condition of coral reefs among key stakeholders and the need for their protection In addition; the programme will promote closer linkages among the management authorities, improve communication among stakeholders and provide a platform for future development and conservation of the marine aquarium fishers and coral reef habitats. The most importantly, the quality and condition of the Kapparathota coral reef will be directly improved through this programme, contributing to the sustainable management and continuity of marine resources in Sri Lanka, ensuring that the multiple and exotic species dependent on this magnificent marine habitat are protected.
Among the Key stakeholders who participated at this programme were the Weligama Divisional Secretariat, Fisheries Officers from Matara and Galle, and representatives from the Weligama Urban Council and Food Association of Tourism Service Providers.