Since 2020, the LEF has been working in collaboration under the Mangrove Conservation & Sustainable Livelihoods (MCSL) Forum with several local conservation organizations including the Wildlife & Nature Protection Society (WNPS), Environmental Foundation (EFL), Federation of Environmental Organizations (FEO), The Pearl Protectors and the Parrotfish Collective to ensure the continued protection of the Vidattaltivu Nature Reserve (VNR).
Declared as the island’s third largest Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the island, this ecosystem is home to a myriad of flora and fauna, including the locally critically endangered dugong. Located along the northwestern coast of Sri Lanka, VNR is a critical stop along the Central Asian Flyway, thereby making it an ecosystem of global importance to migratory bird species.
Despite its protected status, several government agencies have been working to de-gazette a portion of VNR in order to create an aquaculture park which will farm shellfish, exotic fish and shrimp. With several failed aquaculture ventures dotted along the northwestern coast, the MCSL Forum seeks to stop the de-gazette and ensure VNR’s protected status remains.
In 2020, the initial attempt to de-gazette part of the reserve led to the formation of the coalition. In response, LEF supported the production of an awareness video highlighting the environmental value of VNR, facilitated workshops, participated in planning sessions, and helped roll out a national public awareness campaign. When the threat resurfaced in 2023, the MCSL Forum launched a renewed media campaign, including the publication of a widely shared investigative article. NGOs within the forum with legal standing filed a court case, which resulted in a major win for conservation efforts when in 2024 the Supreme Court issued a stay order, temporarily halting the de-gazettement process pending further review.
The LEF has been actively promoting the adoption of nature-based solutions, including the establishment of blue carbon credit programmes within the VNR. As a first step, LEF funded the VNR Seagrass Assessment, which will quantify carbon stocks and identify seagrass species present in the reserve. In parallel, LEF has initiated conversations with various partners to explore how this work can be expanded and operationalised, with the goal of advancing long-term protection for the site.
