Exploring the link between culture and biodiversity in Sri Lanka

Abstract

This paper highlights the importance of adopting culture-based strategies in addressing certain issues of environmental conservation and management in Sri Lanka, a country where links between nature and culture have historically been strong. It focuses on the link between culture and biodiversity in fields such as flora, fauna, ecosystems and local culture, which includes agriculture, lifestyles and place names. It also examines the policy significance of this focus, demonstrated most recently by the Sri Lankan government’s support for and promotion of recent initiatives to designate specific flowers as provincial floral emblems, issue biodiversity-themed postage stamps and retain the custom of using biodiversity-related place names. It is suggested that people’s traditional modes of interacting with and comprehending their natural environment may be fostered or harnessed through progressive government policy, not only in Sri Lanka but in other countries where traditional nature-based cultural practices continue to thrive.