Bird watching tour in Sri Lanka

Environment

Eco C-R-E-A-M

Community-Responsibility-Environment-Awareness-Management

Eco team’s Environment & Community policy

We at Eco Team aim to re-invent the tourism model in Sri Lanka by staying ahead to ensure that our business has a long term benefit for our communities, the environment and our customers.We believe that the people, our community, are central to any strategy that involves protecting the environment and its communities.

We, more than any other tour operator and accommodation provider in Sri Lanka, depend on the unspoilt and pristine outdoors of this magical island to run our business. Our wilderness and Eco system is our heartbeat therefore protecting our most important resource is not only a responsibility but a necessity for our own existence as a company.

Wildlife and the Environment
• We protect endangered species in line with the red list issued by the ICUN.
• We actively educate our communities and campaign against animal abuse of all forms. We educate and invest in protecting our fauna and flora whilst supporting development projects including environment education, wildlife conservation and reforestation as we work closely with the Sri Lanka Wildlife Foundation.
• We discourage the collection, removal or cutting of any plant or plant parts (seeds, roots or leaves) by our customers, staff and communities.
• We participate in programmes that involve the removal of invasive species such as cactus and lantana whilst setting up our operations with scientists in and around the national parks for reforestation activities.
• We have launched conservation programmes for the protection of endangered species. Our clients are also welcome to actively participate in these endeavors.

Waste Management
• We avoid using products packaged in plastic in keeping with our plastic free philosophy. The biggest challenge that we face is the lack of an alternative to the PET water bottles used. However, all empty bottles are being collected and sent to the Balangoda town Council Recycling Center.
• We convert all organic waste into compost waste.
• All paper, cardboard, aluminum and metal waste is collected separately and recycled through the Balangoda town Council Recycling Center.

Energy
• Safari Jeeps that run during the day charge the DC batteries which are used at night as renewable energy through an inverter. Grid power is used only for an emergency.
• Experiments are taking place for the use of Kekuna Thel, a traditional sustainable nut oil extracted from a wild nut, and other renewable oils for night torches in camp sites.
• We recycle used coconut shells for BBQ’s and campfires.Wood for the campfire is collected from the area.No trees are cut for this purpose.
• LPG gas is used for hot water while Solar energy and Bio gas projects are to be launched in the near future.

Community

Community Responsibility

• We recruit and train staff from the locality we work in and purchase locally produced goods and services.
• We build products around the local community knowledge in fauna, flora and farming methods.
• We support community tourism initiatives by incorporating community lifestyles seamlessly into our programmes, such as picnic stops in village homes and fishing with local fisher communities etc.
• We work towards capacity building in schools, communities, in entrepreneurship, knowledge farming and value additions.
• We, along with our clients, contribute financially to uplift the standards of the underprivileged schools, children’s homes, homes for the elders, hospitals and places of worship.

Our research projects
Mahoora Tented Safari Camps actively support minimizing human leopard conflict in the border areas of the parks and the active participation of soloist clients.At the end of a safari our clients fill a research document on their own sightings and this data will be used for important planning conservation activities.