Maskeli Oya - Horana Plantations

Horana Plantations became the trailblazer to lead the largest reforestation project of its kind at that point when it collaborated withWNPS PLANT and embarked on a restoration project along the Maskeliya Oya, in the Nuwara Eliya District. The initiative hoped to create a nine kilometer forest corridor and over 125 acres of new forest in the Upcot Valley of the central highlands. The envisioned corridor encompasses five estates, Fairlawn, Gouravilla, Mahanilu, Alton, and Stockholm, making it one of the largest restoration efforts undertaken through private partnerships islandwide. Cross sector partnerships for conservation enable the sharing of knowledge and resources, while also increasing reach and impact. Hayleys Plantations, a highly awarded and sustainable plantation group, partnered with PLANT and WNPS in early 2023 to protect over 2500acres of land. They continue to work on various initiatives together.

Maskeliya Oya, an important tributary of the Kelani River, emerges from the PeakWilderness Sanctuary and flows for 40 kilometers before joining the Kehelgamu Oya tof orm the Kelani River. It is known for hydropower generation and features Fairlawn Falls and Laxapana Falls. The riparian forest ecosystem along its banks has suffered, leading to riverbank erosion, floods, and habitat degradation. Efforts are underway to restore this ecosystem, focusing on forest connectivity and reintroducing native plant species to enhance biodiversity.Thousands of plants have already been planted along all five estates and are being closely monitored.The project has been funded through key partnerships with Teejay Lanka PLC(https://www.teejay.com), Enrich Tea and FoodExports (Pvt) Ltd (https://www.enrichtea.com), Traffi Gloves from the United Kingdom (https://www.traffiglove.com) and Midaya Ceramics (https://midaya.com) who have all come on board, solidifying a collaborative approach to ecological restoration. In the long run the restoration of these lands, will provide a wealth of ecosystems services that will be enjoyed by surrounding communities, while minimising human-wildlife conflict, and restoring biodiversity to its former glory