RDA announces Highway Tree Planting Week

Ceremonial tree planting by EOM & M Division Director S. Opanayake and Sadaharitha Plantations Ltd. Chairman Sathis Nawarathne

The Road Development Authority (RDA) in their efforts to reinforce sustainable development has identified an opportunity to plant trees on the wayside of the Southern Expressway. At the invitation of Expressway Operation Maintenance and Management Division of the RDA, Sadaharitha Plantations Ltd. jointly launches a Highway Tree Planting Week and has offered 100 Aquilaria plants. The tree planting activities will take place in selected locations of the Southern Expressway from 4-8 July.

Marking this event plants were distributed to the Divisional Executive Engineer Offices at the Galanigama Expressway Interchange Office premises on Monday 4 July.

“Since 2010 the RDA has added greenery on the main roads and city roundabouts and isles. Today we have overcome a challenge in reforesting the Southern Expressway in an aesthetically pleasing manner. Our goal is to plant 50,000 trees in the RDA owned properties situated on the wayside of the highway,” Expressway Operation Maintenance and Management Division (EOM & M) Director S. Opanayaka noted.

Drawing attention to the significant value of the project Sadaharitha Plantations Ltd. Chairman Sathis Navarathne added, “We are more than happy to be a part of this great effort. At Sadaharitha Plantations Ltd. we support efforts of bringing down carbon foot prints every way we could, trees and forests are the most vital weapon we have against climate change.”

Further elaborating on the importance of reforestation, University of Sri Jayawardenapura

Senior lecturer Department of Forestry and Environmental Sciences Dr. Upul Subasinghe explained the importance of adopting to green economy concept using commercial valuable trees.

Residents around the Galanigama area, Expressway Operation Maintenance and Management Division (EOM & M) Director S. Opanayaka, Sadaharitha Plantation Ltd. Chairman Sathis Nawarathne and University of Sri Jayawardenapura Senior lecturer Department of Forestry and Environmental Sciences Dr. Upul Subasinghe graced the event.