Joins forces with ‘WNPS PLANT’ to part fund reforesting of over 50 Hectares

Leading textile manufacturer Teejay Lanka PLC has pledged funding support towards part of the reforestation of a nine-kilometer section of the banks of the Maskeli Oya, a major upstream tributary of one of Sri Lanka’s most important rivers, the Kelani.

Connecting to the foothills of the Peak Wilderness Sanctuary, the initiative is supported as part of the Company’s sustainability road-map and will enhance water quality, reduce human animal conflict, and contribute to combating climate change as well, a Teejay news release said.

The project, on land in the Maskeliya Upcot valley that is to be released for the purpose by the Hayleys Group’s Horana Plantations PLC, is being executed and managed by Preserving Land and Nature (Guarantee) Limited (PLANT), a company established by the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka’s largest and most active conservation entity.

A Memorandum of Understanding entered into by Teejay and PLANT (www.plantsl.org) envisages the regeneration of forest cover on 30 to 50 feet wide continuous strips of land on the opposing banks of the waterway. Five project segments combine, forming a nine-kilometer forest corridor that will create over 50 hectares of new forest, with one of these segments funded by Teejay.

Teejay Lanka CEO Mr Pubudu De Silva said the two-year project would be a significant element of the Company’s ‘Abhivarah 2030’ sustainability road map and generate valuable carbon credits, while helping restore one of the country’s most scenic natural habitats to its pristine state. “Teejay is also focused on initiatives to improve the environment in and around the Kelani River and its related ecosystems, and this project is a perfect extension of that commitment,” he said.

Speaking at the signing of the MoU, PLANT Chairman Sriyan de Silva Wijeyeratne commended Teejay for the company’s solid commitment towards nature preservation and for the many groundbreaking initiatives it is taking. “PLANT is fortunate to have visionary partners like Teejay coming forward to set an example for others to follow,” he added.

The forest corridor that is to be created by PLANT as part of this reforestation project will comprise of multiple tree species including Tel-keena (Calophyllum walker) Kudu dawula or dawul Kurundu – (Neolitsea cassia) Gal-Weralu (Elaeocarpus subvillosus) and Kenda (Macaranga sp.) among others, thereby helping to enhance the biodiversity of the area, prevent soil erosion and flooding.

PLANT was set up with the aim of acquiring privately-owned lands outright or on a long-term lease for the purpose of conservation and to collect funds for the purpose of conservation, while also working to leverage lands which are owned by Partners themselves. PLANT currently supports more than 2,500 Acres of conservation footprint in over 20 locations with the help of multiple local and global partners

Teejay’s ‘Abhivarah 2030’ road-map aims to plant one million trees and achieve net zero carbon emissions by the company by 2050. Developed in alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, its three principal pillars are defined as Responsible Consumption – doing more with less; Responsible Discharge – waste to wealth; and Support Thriving Planet – to earth with love. Among its targets are achieving zero toxic chemical usage and discharge, transition to renewable energy sources, and reducing water intensity consumption by 50%, to achieve a 100% sustainable product portfolio.

An ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 45001: 2018 and Eco Labeling compliant company and the first in the industry to develop green fabric, Teejay Lanka was also the first textile manufacturer in Sri Lanka to receive membership of the US Cotton Trust Protocol. Teejay is a public quoted company with 40 per cent public ownership and the backing of Sri Lanka’s largest apparel exporter Brandix Lanka which has a 33 per cent stake in the Company. Pacific Textiles of Hong Kong, whose key shareholder is the Tokyo Stock Exchange listed Toray Industries Inc., owns 27 per cent of Teejay Lanka.