Communities Come Together to Enhance the Halmillawewa Tank Ecosystem

In celebration of World Environment Day 2026, the Lanka Rainwater Harvesting Forum

(LRWHF) organized a community tree-planting program on 9 June 2026 at the Halmillawewa

Tank upper catchment area in Thimbiriyawa Village. The initiative brought together local

institutions and residents in a shared effort to strengthen environmental conservation and support

the long-term sustainability of local water resources.

The program was conducted in collaboration with the Thimbiriyawa Rainwater Harvesting

Society, officers of the Agrarian Service Department attached to the Ehetuwewa Agrarian

Service Center, and the Halmillawewa Tank Farmer Organization. Representatives from the

Grama Niladhari Office, Divisional Secretariat, Samurdhi Development Program, and local

community members also participated in the event, reflecting a strong commitment to collective

environmental action.

A total of 24 indigenous trees were planted across Thimbiriyawa, Halmillawewa, Ovita, and

Deniya, including Mee, Kumbuk, Karanda, Nabada, Helamba, and Kathurumurunga species. The

planting materials were supplied by the Nethuli Plant Nursery in Thimbiriyawa, a

community-based initiative supported through LRWHF development programs.

The activity focused on improving the environmental condition of the Halmillawewa Tank

ecosystem and its upper catchment area. Increasing tree cover around the tank will help reduce

soil erosion, support groundwater recharge, enhance biodiversity, and protect water resources

vital to local livelihoods.

The program’s success was made possible by the active participation of 25 individuals from

government institutions, community organizations, and local residents. Farmers from the village

played an important role in preparing planting sites and will continue to support the watering,

maintenance, and protection of the newly planted trees.

Participants expressed satisfaction with the program’s outcome and emphasized the importance

of continuing similar initiatives in the future. The event served as a reminder that community-led

environmental action can make a meaningful contribution to building healthier ecosystems and

more resilient communities.

Through partnerships and local engagement, initiatives such as this demonstrate how

environmental conservation and water resource protection can go hand in hand, creating lasting

benefits for both people and nature.