Rs 500m to establish Dry Zone botanical garden

Priyanka Kurugala

The government allocated Rs 500 million to establish a Dry Zone botanical garden in the Hambantota district to conserve rare plants native to the Dry Zone, said Royal Botanical Garden Director General Dr Syril Wijesundara.

This will help uplift the livelihood of the local community, to develop eco-tourism and floriculture in the Dry Zone, he said.

According to the Director General, the Dry Zone represents almost one third of forest ecosystems and 95 percent has been lost in the last 20 years.

There is also evidence of climate change in the area as a result of habitat losses.

Establishing the new botanical garden is a good solution to protect endangered plants, he said.

The site for the new botanical garden at Mirijjawala near Hambantota is characterized by scrub jungle and dry zone vegetation.

The site expands to 300 acres to accommodate immediate and long term needs of a new 21st century garden development and has sufficient water in the Baragam wila nearby to maintain the site.

Rain water harvested within the sites can also be used, he said.