Yagirala Forest Research and Conservation Center

Conveniently located in Walallawita, Kalutara District, with just a couple of hours drive away from the capital city of Colombo, Yagirala Forest Reserve is an ideal place to experience the peace, quiet and diversity of life a Lowland Tropical Wet Evergreen Forest offers. The Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, University of Sri Jayewardenepura has been managing a 100 acre block of the Yagirala Forest Reserve since 1984, predominantly for research and education purposes.

The Department of Forestry and Environmental Science of the university of Sri Jayewardenepura has built a research center in the Yagirala forest reserve to facilitate the persons who have research and education interest about this forest. This bunglow type venue is also used as the Visitor Center for the people who stay overnight who prefer to experience the life in the rain forest with the hospitality of the villagers in the area.

Forest inventory, Mensuration, Forest Management, Wildlife management practices are conducted in this forest for the university student and also training and environmental education sessions are held for the school students. The area of 5,908 ha has been halves since 1971 due to exploitation, but thankfully, remedial action is underway, which includes the increased growth of aquatic plants to enhance the relative protection of stream and bank vegetation. It is on record that 45% of the plant species at this reserve are endemic to Sri Lanka. The university of Sri Jayewardenepura has been entrusted with the task of turning the Yagirala Forest into a high benefit reserve once again.