The Biodiversity Division of the Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with the District Forest Offices of Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi of the Forest Department, organized a two-day training workshop on the Conservation, Restoration, and Sustainable Use of Blue Carbon Ecosystems for officers of the stakeholder institutions in the Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi Districts.

 

The workshop was held on 20th June 2025 at the District Secretariat Office in Mullaitivu and was followed by a field study on 21st June 2025, focusing on Blue Carbon Ecosystems - specifically mangroves and salt marshes - in the Nayaroo Lagoon area, Mullaitivu. Approximately eighty officers participated in the event.

 

Technical support provided by Prof. Sevvandi Jayakody (Chair Professor, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka/ Chairperson, National Expert Committee on Mangrove Conservation and sustainable use established under the Ministry of Environment), Dr. Manoj Prasanna (Mangrove expert), Mr. W. Sumanadasa (Mangrove Expert) and Ms. Dilhani Fernando (Seagrass expert), Blue Resources Trust. It was highly emphasized that not to disturb other blue carbon ecosystems like seagrass and salt marshes when implementing mangrove restoration programmes.

 

A key highlight of the workshop was a field demonstration on mangrove ecosystem restoration, conducted using the National Guidelines for the Restoration of Mangrove Ecosystems in Sri Lanka prepared by the Ministry of Environment.