Inventorising the biodiversity of the Rain Water Harvesting System at Heladhanavi Power Plant, Puttalam

Managed landscape Common mormon (Papilio polytes) Seasonal stream

Introduction . The terrestrial and aquatic habitat/ecosystem The biodiversity assessment of rain water types within the HPP premises documented harvesting system at Heladhanavi Power Plant . The structure and composition of vegetation (HPP) was initiated in June and Decemeber 2014 types within the HPP premises documented (dry and wet periods). This was implemented by . Species richness of vertebrate faunal species Lanka Transformers with the partnership of IUCN and selected invertebrate faunal species in the Sri Lanka to enhance the value of land by different habitats/ecosystems of the HPP inventorying flora, fauna and ecosystems of premises documented premises. . Nationally threatened, endemic and invasive fauna and flora within the HPP premises This power plant is a 100 MW heavy furnace oil identified thermal power plant that generates 700GWh . Threats to natural habitats and annually. It is located in the outer skirt of Puttalam, recommendations to enhance the surrounding in north-western dry zone of Sri Lanka. The power environment identified plant after serving the nation’s electricity requirement for more than 10 years was Outcomes decommissioned in December 2014. . 233 species of plants belonging to 68 families including two endangered, seven vulnerable, eight near threatened, one data deficient, two The inventoried data is an asset to identify the species of endemic plant and six alien invasive value and use of premises. The recommendations species were recorded and examples are as were important for effective conservation and follows maintenance of biodiversity. Endangered (EN) – Ebony (Diospyros ebenum) and Dioscorea trimenii Objectives Vulnerable (VU) – Cadaba trifoliata, Goda . Enhance the value for the land kaduru (Strychnos nux vomica), Rasakinda . Document the value of biodiversity (Tinospora cordifolia), Burutha (Chloroxylon . Produce biodiversity inventory swietenia), Palu ( Manilkara hexandra), and Outputs Corchorus olitorius, Stephania japonica Near threatened – Alphonsea sclerocarpa, . Maps of Biodiversity and physical attributes, Dioscorea oppositifolia, Jatropha glandulifera, developed Albizia lebbek,Vitex altissima, Heticteres isora, Grewia tenax and Hebenaria plantaginea and Data Deficient (DD) – Stereospermum suavedens

Endemic plant – Pupula (Vernonia zeylanica) and Argyreia populifolia Alien-Invasive or possible invasive species– Wel attha (Annona glabra), Watupalu (Mikania micrantha), Podisinnomaran (Chromolaena odorata) , Ipil ipil (Leucaena leucocephala), Rata tana Pygmy Shrew (Suncus etruscus ) – World’s smallest mammal (Panicum maximum) and Ganda-pana species by body mass (Lantana camara) . A total of 134 faunal species including one Endangered (EN) species and three Vulnerable (VU) species six Near Threatened (NT) species and one Data Deficient (DD) species. were

recorded in the study site. This includes 12

dragonfly species, 28 butterfly species, one fish

species, 6 amphibian species, 18 reptile species, 57 bird species and 17 mammal species. Among the species recorded were seven endemic species, two proposed endemic species and three domestic species Crimson rose (Pachliopta hector)

Recommendations . To improve the biodiversity of the HPP, environmental management activities such as management of wild elephants and other mammal pests, mechanical removal of invasive plants, replanting native species to establish native vegetation, fire management, suitable disposal of construction material that are lying in the premises, improving wetland/tank habitat, developing butterfly

garden/urban wildlife garden for managed landscape and periodic monitoring and recording plant and animal species that occur Little Cormarant ( Phalacrocorax. niger) and Indian Cormarant (P. fuscicollis) in the HPP area were recommended . Introduction of ecotourism as a sustainable land use practice

Project was funded by Lanka Transformers Ltd Holdings About IUCN

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IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental organization, with more than 1,200 government and NGO Members and almost 11,000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries. IUCN’s work is supported by over 1,000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public, NGO and private sectors around the world. IUCN in Sri Lanka was established in 1986 and is guided by IUCN’s mission and the environmental concerns embodied in successive National Environmental Action Plans of the Government of Sri Lanka. www.iucn.org