Rebuilding one of the world’s most powerful ecosystems
LIFE to Our Mangroves supports the restoration of 10 hectares of degraded mangrove forest in the Anavilundawa Ramsar Wetland Sanctuary—home to 21 true mangrove species, representing one third of global mangrove diversity. These ecosystems are essential for biodiversity, coastal protection, and carbon sequestration. In FY25, Virtusa continued its collaboration with Biodiversity Sri Lanka to strengthen one of Sri Lanka’s most critical natural assets.
Reviving the roots of coastal resilience
FY25 restoration activities focused on accelerating natural regeneration, removing invasive species, and improving hydrological flows to sustain healthy mangrove growth. Field teams maintained over 80% survival rates in planted mangrove plots, expanded biodiversity monitoring, and introduced Sri Lanka’s first climate adaptation plan for a restoration site, combining ecological insights with socio-economic data and traditional knowledge. All interventions were undertaken with guidance from the Department of Wildlife Conservation and aligned with IUCN standards for nature-based solutions.
A sanctuary returning to life
The project recorded significant ecological gains, including natural regeneration across restored areas and a measurable rise in biodiversity, with over 140 bird species and 100+ butterfly species documented. These outcomes contribute to Sri Lanka’s national goal of increasing mangrove cover by 50% by 2030 and support global frameworks such as the UN SDGs, the Blue Carbon Initiative, and the UNFCCC. Sri Lanka’s broader mangrove restoration efforts—supported in part by this project—were recognized by the United Nations as a 2024 World Restoration Flagship.