Clean Sri Lanka - Building a Sustainable Future Through Thoughtful Mangrove Restoration
Aruna Sampath M . 04th January
2025
1. Clean
Sri Lanka Programme
The "Clean Sri
Lanka" campaign is a major national endeavour designed to convert Sri
Lanka into a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable country (Clean Sri Lanka, 2025). The president's
speech indicates that it is a significant undertaking and part of the
government's agenda(President of Sri Lanka, 2025). The project
emphasises the significance of sustainability via economic, social, and
governance (EESG) pillars, promoting behavioural transformation, ethical
standards, and environmental stewardship. The program aims to transform Sri
Lanka into a developed nation under the vision "Beautiful Island, Smiling
People" by involving local communities, governmental and corporate sectors,
NGOs, and foreign organizations to facilitate structural and cultural
advancements. The project aims to tackle significant challenges such as waste
management, environmental deterioration, and corruption, while fostering new
solutions and ethical behaviors.
The Clean Sri Lanka
initiative established multiple objectives to direct its strategic endeavors.
Primary objectives encompass cultivating a national ethical ethos, advocating
for zero tolerance of corruption, elevating societal awareness, and guaranteeing
a pristine and sustainable environment via maximized utilization of natural
resources. Enhancing waste management systems via collaboration between public
and commercial sectors and improving infrastructure are essential objectives.
These initiatives seek to enhance the quality of life for Sri Lankans while
guaranteeing enduring environmental conservation and sustainability.
A number of key projects
within the Clean Sri Lanka project aim to foster conservation efforts and
community involvement. The Colombo Clean-Up Day engages volunteers to
cleanse streets, parks, and rivers, fostering civic pride and advancing urban
sustainability. The Green Living Workshop instructs attendees on
minimizing their carbon footprints and embracing sustainable techniques in
their everyday routines. The Mangrove Restoration Drive is a fundamental
project aimed at rehabilitating mangrove habitats to safeguard biodiversity and
enhance natural defences against climate change. These activities illustrate
the project's dedication to promoting sustainable practices and environmental
consciousness nationwide.
2.
Balancing Benefits and Challenges:
Lessons from Mangrove Restoration Efforts in Sri Lanka
Sri
Lanka has commenced various initiatives to rehabilitate mangrove habitats (UNEP,
2024. ),(seacology,
n.d.), acknowledging
its significant ecological and socio-economic advantages. The restoration
efforts, part of broader environmental programs, have yielded significant
benefits for both the environment and local residents. Mangroves have been
crucial in augmenting biodiversity, sequestering carbon, and safeguarding
coastal regions from erosion and inundation(Asari
et al., 2021) (Akram
et al., 2023a). Moreover, these
initiatives have improved the livelihoods (IUCN,
2021)of numerous
coastal inhabitants by enhancing fisheries and providing eco-tourism prospects(Blanton
et al., 2024).
Despite these favorable results, problems have emerged in certain regions,
reflecting the complex nature of mangrove restoration. Fishers in Mohoththuwarama,
Kalpitiya, have indicated both advantageous and negative impacts of the
mangrove restoration initiative. These problems highlight the necessity of
following thorough and scientific procedures for mangrove restoration. Sri
Lanka has established national guidelines (Biodiversity
Secretariat et al., 2021) that prioritize
effective planning, site selection, and community engagement to mitigate
potential challenges and improve the efficacy of restoration initiatives.
Moreover, global best practices, such those established by United Nation
Environmental Programme (UNEP) (Environment,
2020), the
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)(IUCN,
2018) and Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) (C.R
et al., 2024), offer essential
frameworks for the proper management of restoration projects.
To optimize long-term advantages and mitigate unexpected implications, it is
essential to incorporate local expertise with these advices.
The National Guidelines
for the Restoration of Mangrove Ecosystems in Sri Lanka is an extensive
framework established by the Ministry of Environment in 2021(Biodiversity Secretariat et al., 2021). It seeks to
mitigate the decline of mangrove habitats through scientifically informed
restoration techniques. The standards correspond with national policies and
international obligations, highlighting the ecological, social, and economic
significance of mangroves.
The National Guidelines emphasize
several critical areas to assure effective and sustained restoration. Scientific
restoration in major idea that prioritizes ecosystem-specific
methodologies, encompassing the careful selection of suitable sites. The utilization of indigenous mangrove
species, and the preservation of natural hydrological and sedimentary processes
to bolster ecosystem resilience are also important under it. Conservation
and biodiversity another important initiate that emphasize the safeguarding
of authentic mangrove species and their habitats, as well as strategies to
regulate and alleviate the effects of invading species. The recommendations
emphasize the significance of community engagement, promoting the active
participation of local stakeholders in planning, implementation, and monitoring
to ensure long-term sustainability. Furthermore, comprehensive monitoring
and reporting systems should be implemented, establishing defined protocols to
evaluate restoration work, analyse soil and hydrological conditions.
Requirements for Successful
Mangrove Restoration
|
Requirement |
Description |
|
Site
Selection |
Choose
sites based on suitable tidal flow, soil salinity, and hydrological
conditions to maximize persistence and ecosystem compatibility. It is important
local community perception and willingness to contribute in restoration (Environment, 2020),
(Beeston, M., Cameron, C., Hagger, V.,
Howard, J., et al., 2023) |
|
Species
Selection |
Use
native mangrove species suited to local conditions to maintain biodiversity
and ecosystem functionality (Akram et al., 2023b). |
|
Community
Engagement |
Involve
local communities in planning, implementation, and monitoring to guarantee
long-term success. (Rodríguez-Rodríguez et al., 2024). |
|
Long-Term
Monitoring |
Execute
monitoring programs to evaluate restoration results and adapt strategies as
needed (Gatt et al., 2024). |
|
Integrated
Planning |
Coordinate
efforts across stakeholders, with government, NGOs, and communities, to align
restoration with broader environmental goals (Biodiversity Secretariat et al., 2021). |
|
Policy
Support |
Established
policies that protect restored areas and promote sustainable management systems
(Chamberland-Fontaine et al., 2022)
, (Arifanti et al., 2022) |
|
Capacity
Building |
Train
stakeholders (specially community members) in restoration skills and
ecological management to improve effectiveness (Sam et al., 2023). |
|
Funding
and Resources |
Guarantee
financial and other support for long-term restoration and maintenance
activities (Ellison et al., 2020). |
|
Use
of Decision Science |
Apply
structured frameworks and tools for evidence-based (Research) decision-making
in restoration projects(Rodríguez-Rodríguez et al., 2024). |
The Standards of Practice
for ecosystem restoration were formulated by integrating best practices and
suggestions from the UN Decade Science Taskforce. It offers a systematic
methodology for efficient ecosystem restoration. It highlight the essential
steps for sustainable ecosystem restoration that explain in following graph.
Source. FAO 2024 - Standards of practice to guide ecosystem restoration
4.
Impacts of Improper Mangrove Restoration
Inadequate management of
mangrove restoration may result in numerous adverse effects. For an instant, higher
mortality rates frequently occur due to inadequate site selection (IUCN, 2017) leading to
resource wastage and unsuccessful events. Planting in inappropriate locations, can
disturb existing ecosystems, weaken biodiversity, and negatively affect the
surrounding environment (Biodiversity Secretariat et al., 2021). The lack of
community engagement in planning may lead to social tensions among stakeholders
are also threatening the long-term sustainable operation of the restoration
plan.
Inadequate planning can
lead to economic losses, as unsuccessful initiatives waste financial resources
from both public, private sectors, NGOs and community. The introduction of
non-native species of the selected sites in restoration efforts can worsen the
issue by creating ecological imbalances and adversely affect to the surrounding
environment.
Unsuccessful projects
undermine the confidence among local communities and other stakeholders. It can
be diminished future engagement and support for rehabilitation efforts. These
types of issues more common in government sector and project conducted in some
NGOs. Thus, the government needs to
establish precise short- and long-term objectives, assign sufficient budgetary
resources, assure the proactive engagement of governmental institutions, and
include these initiatives into annual programs to guarantee the effective
execution of this important task of the government.
5.
Concluding Remarks - Harnessing the
Potential of Mangrove Restoration
Initiatives such as
mangrove restoration within the Clean Sri Lanka project represent
excellent efforts to attempt significant environmental concerns in the nation.
These initiatives are both a national requirements and in line with global
goals, as highlighted in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Effective
execution of these programs is essential for reducing potential adverse effects
while enhancing environmental, social, and economic advantages. Through accurate
planning, community engagement, and compliance with established protocols,
these initiatives can substantially enhance sustainable development and the
welfare of present and future generations.
 |
 |
|
Source
. Mangrove Action Project / Healthy Mangroves Sustain Life |
Source
. Integrating a conceptual framework for the sustainable development goals in
the mangrove ecosystem: A systematic review - Indira A.L. Eyzaguirre a c d, Allan
Yu Iwama b, Marcus E.B. Fernandes |
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