WNPS marks Wetlands Month with talks by two experts
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Dr. Priyanie Amerasinghe
The Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) will mark World Wetlands Month with a timely lecture on wetland conservation - Wetlands of Sri Lanka: Traditional Wisdom, Society and Science in a Changing Climate on February 19 at 6 p.m. at the Jasmine Hall, BMICH.
The lecture will bring together Dr. Priyanie Amerasinghe, Emeritus Scientist, Human and Environmental Health, International Water Management Institute and Prof. Uthpala A. Jayawardena, Head/ Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Open University of Sri Lanka to present complementary perspectives on the importance of protecting and revitalising Sri Lanka’s wetlands.
Dr. Amerasinghe will talk on the role of indigenous wisdom and traditional practices. Drawing on the legacy of Sri Lanka’s ancient hydraulic civilisation, Dr. Amerasinghe will demonstrate how traditional tank cascade systems represented sophisticated ecological engineering. Built on the enduring “tank–paddy field–temple” model, these systems successfully integrated water management, biodiversity conservation and social cooperation. Her presentation will invite reflection on how these time-tested approaches can inform modern conservation efforts.
Prof. Uthpala A. Jayawardena
Prof. Uthpala A. Jayawardena in her lecture on ‘Safeguarding Sri Lanka’s Wetlands in a Changing Socio-Environmental Landscape’ will examine the complex pressures currently threatening wetlands; how traditional community-based management systems that once valued wetlands have gradually weakened in the face of rapid socio-economic transformation. Today, wetlands are frequently misunderstood as idle or unproductive lands, leading to their conversion for infrastructure, housing and commercial development.
She will discuss how poor waste management, industrial pollution and the spread of invasive species have further degraded wetland ecosystems. Weak enforcement of conservation laws and fragmented institutional responsibility have compounded these problems, while climate change is introducing new risks.
Her lecture will emphasise the importance of a holistic response—one that strengthens governance, promotes science-based restoration and integrates wetlands into national climate adaptation and urban planning strategies.
Together, the two presentations will demonstrate that successful wetland conservation depends on blending policy innovation with cultural values that recognise the true worth of these ecosystems.
The lecture is open all; entrance is free.
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