Royal Botanical Gardens Peradeniya Sri Lanka

Royal Botanical Gardens

Peradeniya

The royal botanical garden peradeniya was established by the British in 1821 it is responsible for almost major plant introductions for economic and environmental development in this country. Activities that followed result in the development of economic and plantation crops emergency of important state departments such as department of Agriculture and intuitions. For the development of agriculture and plantation crops such as tea and rubber.

Royal botanic gardens peradeniya occupy a horse shoe shaped peninsula round witch flows the chief river (the Mahaweli River) of Sri Lanka, the Mahaweli River is longest river in Sri Lanka. The main entrance is from the Colombo road about four miles from Kandy. The total area is 147 acres containing about 4500spices. The main elevation above sea level is about 1600 feet’s.

The main functions of the royal botanical gardens peradeniya are

1.     Planning and implementing ex situ conservation of Sri Lankan plant diversity.

2.     Carrying out activities to disseminate authentic information and technical expertise on plants and plant related industries of Sri Lanka using educational and communication strategies.

3.     Conducting diverse research and implement technologies to develop floriculture industry in Sri Lanka.

4.     Management and development of Botanic Gardens at high standards.

5.     Preparing development plants for the establishment of new botanic gardens in appropriate places.

6.     Planning and implementing research and technical programmers needed to popularize amenity horticulture in Sri Lanka.

7.     Providing technical advice to conserve Sri Lankan plants of historic importance.

This internationally acclaimed botanic garden has a yearly turn out of 1.4 million visitors. Of this more than 200000 are from over seas and about 200000 are school children.

 The national herbarium of the riyal botanic gardens of peradeniya has a unique collection of about 148000 specimens some of the specimens are almost 200 years old and represent a valuable flora catalogue as well as an interesting historical record. Year on year there are increasingly more visits to the national herbarium by researchers and members of the general public.  There is an important new role for the gardens in being recognized as the national red listening authority for plants in Sri Lanka one that is well with in current scope and that articulates with the traditions of a national herbarium. It is planned to elevate the national herbarium within the next 10 years.

Scientific research in the gardens spans purely botanical research through to the relevance of technical applications to conservation efforts for all plants groups and their pragmatic applications in the floriculture herbal and medicinal plant industries.

Pioneering work on floriculture in Sri Lanka was done at Royal Botanic Gardens in the late 1960s and many people were trained on the subject. This led to an organized cut flower industry bringing a large amount of foreign exchange to this country. Research carried out in the floriculture laboratories in the gardens today are in the areas of variety development agronomy plant protection and post harvest handling.

In addition to displaying a diverse collection of floricultural crops the garden staff conducts education and training programmers to a wide array of individuals ranging from students to commercial growers. Such training programmers are an essential part of developing the floriculture industry in Sri Lanka leading to a greater income generation and employment opportunities.

Over 15,000 individuals are trained annually in the production of cut flowers such as Orchids, Anthuriuams and other ornamental plants, landscaping, and garden designing, plant conservation etcetera. At the education center of Royal Botanic Gardens.

Hundreds of individuals have also been trained during the past few years on tissue culture of Anthriums and orchids. Numerous training programmers on herbarium techniques plant identification and ex situ conservation are conducted at the national herbarium. Training programs

Offered at the education center range from one day programs to one year and two years national diploma courses.

Royal botanical gardens peradeniya has a satellite garden devoted to conservation of medical plants at ganewatte in the north western province. That 56 acres garden contains over 500 medicinal plant species.

Royal botanical gardens peradeniya considered as one of the few classic botanic gardens in the world is perhaps the finest of its kind in south Asia. This royal botanical garden is the best botanical garden in the world. If you visit to the Sri Lanka don’t forget to visit this historical royal botanical garden.

Just as the introductions of tea and rubber have shaped the past it is anticipated that the gardens have a future impact. Areas where future achievements will demonstrate the gardens contribution to the development of Sri Lanka are outlined in the table below.

Alongside areas where there is already a past track record of performance and impact. Eco tourism floriculture and the development of the herbal Industries each feature strongly as areas of national policy priority where impact matters and progress will be monitored over the coming few years. Impact in each of these areas can be defined as having economic impact in Sri Lanka.

Impact these will also cause change within the gardens themselves with huger demand for education and training courses tour guides trained to high service standard. Additional technical and business support needed from small and medium size businesses engaged in one or more of these industry areas may also emerge.

Over the last 180 years the royal botanic gardens peradeniya have significantly increased their capability by emphasizing high quality science expanded contributions to biodiversity conservation and improved public education and programs. This effort will be reinforced over the period ahead by a focus on key targets for development and appropriate re structuring recruitment and training initiatives.

The department of national botanic gardens is maintained with the ex situ conservation of the flora while the departments of forest wildlife conservation are involved in situ conservation of the flora. In situ conservation requires a large area colossal amount of resources as in involves protection and maintenance of divers natural habitats. In Sri Lanka over 15% out of the land area is devoted for in situ conservation. In ex situ conservation large number of species can be conserved in a small area with a lesser amount of resources. Fortunately the government has recognized the importance of ex situ conservation as a tool for protecting the unique biodiversity of Sri Lanka and it has been recognized as a priority.