Despite global recognition for their biodiversity, Sri Lanka’s moist tropical evergreen forests seem to be less valued by its citizens, as development goals and population pressures have steadily eroded forest cover, often leaving only isolated patches which still sustain rare and endemic species. Buoyed by green credibility and a conducive policy framework that was afforded to renewable energy, mini hydro power projects have mushroomed in the South-west, harnessing water sources that are often found in pristine and untouched rainforests. While the
The proliferation of lucrative yet often ill-planned and destructive mini hydro power plants in the wet zone region has been a serious environmental and social concern, as these projects can destroy endemically rich and biodiverse habitats in fragmented forest patches, while causing problems with the water supply for neighbouring settlements. EFL investigated many cases of destructive mini hydropower plants, including a project on the Koskulana River, bordering Sinharaja Forest Reserve which eventually led to litigation against the project developers. In
