Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, announcing the program at a media briefing in Colombo, said it is the responsibility of all government institutions, private institutions, non-government organizations, researchers, intelligentsia, and civil community to be united to protect the mangrove ecosystem.
"I highly appreciate and admire the joint effort made by the international non-governmental organizations Seacology and the Small Fishers Federation of Lanka to conserve the mangrove ecosystem of Sri Lanka."
Mangroves, which are tropical trees that have thick, stilt like roots and grow in brackish swamps and shallow salt water, are vitally important since they play an important role in ameliorating climate change. Mangrove forests also provide a key buffer, greatly decreasing damage caused by tsunamis, hurricanes, and other storms.
Sri Lanka has 21 species of mangroves, making it a global hot spot for mangrove biodiversity. But recently mangroves have been extensively and often illegally cleared, partly to make way for shrimp ponds.
The project will cost US$ 3.4 million over the next five years. Seacology has already raised approximately half of this amount.
This project will protect all 21,782 acres (8,815 ha) of Sri Lanka's existing mangrove forests by providing alternative job training and microloans to 15,000 impoverished women who live in 1,500 small communities adjacent to the mangrove forests.
The project will also replant 9,600 acres (3,885 ha) of mangrove forests that have been cut down.
In exchange for receiving these micro loans to start up small businesses, all 1,500 communities will be responsible for protecting an average of 21 acres of mangrove forest.
A first-of-its kind mangrove museum to educate the public about the importance of preserving this resource will also be constructed as part of this project.
While no charitable funds will be given to the government of Sri Lanka, it will play an important role in this effort by demarcating and gazetting mangrove forests, providing legal protection for all of Sri Lanka's mangroves and providing rangers to patrol mangrove forests.
