The International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem, adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO in 2015 and celebrated each year on 26 July, aims to raise awareness of the importance of mangrove ecosystems as “a unique, special and vulnerable ecosystem" and to promote solutions for their sustainable management, conservation and uses.

Biodiversity Secretariat (BDS) of Ministry of Environment and Wildlife Resources in collaboration with the Forest Department conducted a mangrove restoration programme to celebrate the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem, on 26th July 2020 in Pubudugama forest reserve in Puttallam District.  Nearly 3000 mangrove plans were planted in 2 hectares.

This was an abandoned land which used for salt production and converted to a suitable land for mangrove restoration after improving water circulation. This is a scientific base mangrove restoration programme which was conducted with the technical support of Dr. Sevvandi Jayakody(Senior Lecturer, Sri Lanka Wayamba University / chairperson, National Expert Committee on Mangrove Conservation and sustainable use established under the Ministry of Environment) and support from officers of the Forest Department. This site is planning to use for future research purposes.