Enhancing recreational and biodiversity value of Ceylon Tea Trails
16 July 2015 06:30 pm
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The Sri Lanka Business and Biodiversity Platform (SLBBP) of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce signed an agreement with Dilmah Conservation for enhancing the scenic and biodiversity value of Ceylon Tea Trails – a chain of luxury bungalow resorts: Castlereigh, Summerville and Norwood - developed under the leisure arm of Dilmah.
The Castlereigh reservoir is considered a high-value resource by Ceylon Tea Trails, promoting responsible nature-based and adventure tourism in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. The reservoir was created in 1965 as Sri Lanka’s first mini-hydro power generation project, by damming the Kehelgamu Oya – a major tributary of the Kelani River. Located in the Central Province, the reservoir also gets fed by the Dik Oya, a minor tributary.
The current programme will attempt to increase the scenic, recreational and biodiversity value and in general, uplift the environment surrounding the Ceylon Tea Trails bungalows located overlooking the Castlereigh reservoir, together with Dilmah Conservation, the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) and the local authority of the area.
The owning company of Ceylon Tea Trails, Resplendent Ceylon - the leisure arm of Dilmah Tea, is a Patron Member of the Platform.
Sri Lanka Business and Biodiversity Platform: The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with IUCN and Dilmah Conservation established the Sri Lanka Business and Biodiversity Platform in 2012, to encourage and provide services to Sri Lankan businesses to engage more vigorously in the conservation and sustainable use of Sri Lanka’s unique biodiversity.
The platform is committed to creating a network linking Sri Lanka’s businesses, government agencies and biodiversity conservation organisations. To date, the platform has garnered the commitment of fifty Patron and General Members towards the achievement of its key objective of involving the Sri Lankan private sector in concerted efforts in the conservation of biodiversity.
Dilmah Conservation was initiated to incorporate environmental conservation efforts into the MJF Charitable Foundation, which focuses on social justice. Dilmah is governed by a set of core values which govern the principles of business today, as it did at the inception of the company, making it a truly ethical brand.