Botanic gardens in Sri Lanka:Past, present and future

Dr. D. S. A. WIJESUNDARA

Sri Lanka’s botanic gardens have a long and proud history, punctuated by colonialism, and industrial change.

Throughout this period the gardens have continued to flourish, and plant collections and herbarium grown. Within the context of the 21st century, the gardens represent a significant national asset for Sri Lanka.

Over 1.4 million people visit the Sri Lanka’s botanic gardens every year. And that is in addition to the 5% of the nation’s schoolchildren who visit.

As a profit making public institution, employing almost 450 people, the national botanic gardens are uniquely placed to educate by stealth (Edwards 2000), taking advantage of the pleasure and joy experienced by visitors to share, gradually, our growing knowledge and expertise in conservation, bio-diversity, floriculture and sustainability.

Current activities within the gardens include: education and training, botanical research, and contributions to bio-diversity conservation and public education. A staff re-structuring is already under way to accommodate the new strategic priorities.

2007 is a landmark year, notably of the opening of a new Education Centre Facility within the Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya, the founding of the first new botanic garden in 130 years and the launch of a new, nationally accredited Diploma in Floriculture and Landscape Design.

Future needs to be addressed include ex-situ conservation of bio-diversity and the potential for economic return for Sri Lanka.

The vision of the Sri Lanka’s botanic gardens is to be the finest botanic gardens in the tropics by 2015.

The Past

The National Botanic Gardens of Sri Lanka are pioneering botanical institutions, started during the early years of the 19th century. The following are the important milestones in the history of Sri Lanka’s botanic gardens.

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya; Botanic Gardens in Hakgala and Botanic Gardens at Henarathgoda, Gampaha were responsible for almost all of the plant introductions for economic and environmental development of the island of Sri Lanka in the 19th Century.

Activities during this period resulted in the development of economic and plantation crops, the emergence of important state departments such as the Forest Department in 1887 and Department of Agriculture in 1912, as well as the institutions for the development of Plantation Crops such as Tea and Rubber.

After 1912 the botanical research activities slowed down (Holttum 1970) and it was during the last few decades the taxonomic research in the gardens started to resume with the commencement of the Revision of the “Flora of Ceylon” Project.

The Present

Currently, the National Botanic Gardens of Sri Lanka are engaged in the taxonomy of the flora of the Island, floriculture, ornamental horticulture, ex-situ plant conservation (Gunatilleke et al 1987), as well as the maintenance and development of the Botanic Gardens and its allied units.

Until recently, the National Botanic Gardens came within the remit, and were organised by the SLDA.

Management areas such as budget allocation, personnel and administrative matters were previously handled by the SLDA. The period ahead is characterised by change management needs, within a new and fast changing political, environmental and global climate.

The Future

Just as the introductions of tea and rubber have shaped the past, it is anticipated that the gardens have a future impact. Areas where future achievements will demonstrate the gardens’ contribution to the development of Sri Lanka are outlined in the table below, alongside areas where there is already a past track record of performance - and impact.

Ecotourism, floriculture and the development of the herbal industries each feature strongly as areas of national policy priority, where impact matters and progress will be monitored over the coming few years. Impact in each of these areas can be defined as having economic impact in Sri Lanka.

Impact in these will also cause change within the gardens themselves, with higher demand for education and training courses, tour guides trained to a high service standard.

Additional technical and business support needs from small and medium sized businesses, engaged in one or more of these industry areas, may also emerge.

Over the last 180 years the Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya have significantly increased their capability by emphasising high quality science, expanded contributions to biodiversity conservation and improved public education programmes.

This effort will be reinforced over the period ahead by a focus on key targets for development, and appropriate re-structuring, recruitment and training initiatives.

Research

Research efforts have in the past achieved considerable successes (rubber, tea, cocoa etc). Currently, the gardens focus on floriculture research, supporting and encouraging commercial venture and development activities. It is envisaged that this area can be developed strategically.

Floriculture has priority as an area for national policy objectives. Sri Lanka has been involved in the export of floriculture products since 1980, with an export value of $10.5 million in 2004.

This industry was encouraged by research and development into Floriculture, initiated in the gardens in the late 1950s, which led directly to the growth in this industry.

As well as the new Diploma course in Floriculture, it is proposed that a new Propagation Centre is developed, with full humidity, temperature and light control to enable the propagation of any plant.

This will greatly speed up the research and development process - for new cultivars, endangered species, new varieties, hybrids, tissue cultured specimens - and critically, support the Floriculture industry in Sri Lanka.

Responsibility for the development of floriculture within the gardens lies within this management area, encompassing conservation, the collections, the herbarium and bio prospecting.

In 2006, a pilot project to support small local nurseries become established supplied growers with shade netting for protected houses, equipment and tool kits for gardening, improved planting material and materials for transportation (packing material, boxed etc).

Such capacity building projects are well within the remit and capability of the gardens. After evaluation, a follow up support strategy or up scaling of the present project may be considered within the forward action plan.

The National Herbarium of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya has a unique collection of about 132,000 specimens. Some of the specimens are almost 200 years old and represent a valuable floral catalogue as well as an interesting historical record. Year on year, there are more visits to the national herbarium by researchers and members of the general public.

There is an important new role for the Gardens in being recognised as the National Red Listing Authority for Plants in Sri Lanka, one that is well within current scope and that articulates well with the traditions of a national herbarium.

By 2010 it is anticipated that a new national centre for biodiversity will be established. As a strategy this approach binds together the various, and seemingly disparate, strands of activity into a single unit.

Biodiversity is increasingly perceived as the way forward for 21st century conservation efforts. If encompasses policy and practice areas, and will focus on activities that support both.

Activities proposed range from meeting the needs of a national plant repository and bio prospecting through to informing higher education programmes on biodiversity.

Scientific research in the Gardens spans purely botanical research through to the relevance of technical applications to conservation efforts for all plants groups, and their pragmatic applications in the floriculture, herbal and medicinal plant industries.

There are three key elements to the vision of what the Sri Lanka’s Botanic Gardens seeking to achieve:

* Updating and improving knowledge of plant diversity, conservation through scientific research of the highest quality, (maintaining a fine National Herbarium, investing in the intellectual capital of staff etc);

* Effective outcomes for Sri Lanka - practical applications that will capitalise on Sri Lanka’s unique capital and intellectual assets, project development, direct involvement, capacity building and contributions of data, practical experience and education to ex situ conservation programmes; floriculture; ecotourism etc);

* Heightened public awareness and appreciation of the botanic gardens, and the importance of its work - focusing on the conservation and sustainable use of plant resources, up scaling educational programmes and including greatly enhanced public access to our important collections and improved visitor facilities.

(The writer is Director General, Department of National Botanic Gardens, Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya)