Palpatha Eco Safari Lodge
The Palpatha Eco Safari Lodge (PESL) is a unique, environmentally friendly hotel located near the Wilpattu National Park in Sri Lanka. A biodiversity assessment was requested for the hotel premises due to the richness of the biodiversity adjacent to the Kala oya river. The purpose of the assessment is to evaluate the unique flora and fauna inhabiting the area and to discover the various ecosystems that are present within the hotel boundaries.
The BiodiversityConscious® Certification recognises the actions taken by an entity to conserve and enhance the prevalent biodiversity in areas adjacent to the property developed for the the entity's use. It's also an indicator of the practices that guarantee sustainable use of natural resources in a manner that continually strives to maintain the natural ‘status quo’ prior to the property being developed for commercial use.
A Rapid Biodiversity Assessment was conducted by The Carbon Consulting Company to evaluate the hotel's activities directly and indirectly impacting biodiversity, assess the present situational biodiversity landscape,
avoid/minimize impact on biodiversity by the entity’s operations and maintain/enhance biodiversity long-term.
Methodology: Point, Quadrat and Random Sampling methods were used during day and night over a three day period, and the Shannon-Weiner Index was used to calculate PESL’s Biodiversity Index.
Project Summary
Over 135 species of
Fauna identified.
Over 15 prominent species
of Flora found.
Benefits
The project provides biodiversity information which will influence the hotel’s future operational decisions and practices. Projects of such nature are important not only for the continued viability and conservation of biodiversity, but also for the long-term financial benefits of the hotel.
The tourism industry greatly depends on healthy ecosystems to attracts wildlife and preserve their preferred habitat. Landscapes and aesthetic beauty are the very elements that increases eco-tourism to destinations in tropical countries such as Sri Lanka.