The SRI LANKA - Integrated Spatial and Socio-economic Data in Biodiversity Planning at National Scale Pilot Project, implemented by Environmental Foundation Ltd. (EFL) in January 2016 to February 2017, aimed to identify the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plan’s (NBSAP) conservation priorities vis-à-vis the Government of Sri Lanka’s socio-economic development plans and provide recommendations for the implementation of the NBSAP.

The project contributed to the mainstreaming of the NBSAP into national and sub-national development plans by identifying conservation priorities based on the distribution of biodiversity, sites of irreplaceable biodiversity, and important sources of ecosystem services. It also provided the National Biodiversity Secretariat (NBS), the National Secretariat of the CBD for Sri Lanka, with a greater role in national development projects.

It is for the first time in the country that a study of this nature was carried out. The methodology and recommendations are applicable for many years to come as the use of spatial analysis for conservation purposes are at a preliminary stage in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, EFL’s continuous engagement with the NBS ensured that the project be used more pronouncedly in NBSAP implementation.

The outputs from the spatial analysis under this JBF funded project have led to the incorporation of biodiversity in a major land use planning process in Sri Lanka and will continue to contribute to biodiversity mainstreaming. The project is an excellent example of how NBSAP implementation could lead to concrete improvement in biodiversity conservation at the national and sub-national levels and has been of strong use in capacity building of the wider group of Parties.

For more detailed information on the project, please visit the Integrated Spatial Planning and Analysis to Prioritize Biodiversity Conservation in Sri Lanka page.