Protect Forests and Wildlife in Sri Lanka and the UK

A Planet Under Pressure

Though oceans apart, Sri Lanka and the UK face strikingly similar challenges:

Vanishing forests
Fragmented ecosystems and biodiversity loss
Loss of wildlife species and their habitats
Communities disconnected from their natural surroundings

In Sri Lanka, forest loss is often driven by poverty and survival. In the UK, it stems from centuries of industrialisation and urban expansion. Yet in both regions, the result is the same—shrinking biodiversity, vulnerable wildlife, and a planet under pressure.

Sri Lanka’s Rapid Rainforest Loss

Once rich in rainforest and home to species found nowhere else on Earth, Sri Lanka is losing forests at an alarming rate: There has been a 28% forest loss since 2001, resulting in over 2.17 million hectares gone.

What We’re Facing:

Poverty-induced Deforestation: The economic collapse in 2022 pushed many communities to clear forests to survive.
Human-Elephant Conflict: 250–300 elephants are killed each year as their habitats disappear, and they encroach on farmers land.
Widespread Biodiversity Loss: Endemic animals like the Sri Lankan Leopard, Fishing Cat, and Purple-faced Langur are now critically endangered.
Plant Extinction: Native herbs and plants—essential for traditional medicine and forest ecology—are rapidly disappearing.

Decline of Native Wildlife and Woodland in the UK

The UK has one of the lowest woodland coverage rates in Europe—just 13% and has retained only 53% of its natural biodiversity, placing it among the most nature-depleted countries globally and last among the G7 nations.

What We’re Facing:

Wildlife Decline: The UK is home to several critically endangered species, including hedgehogs, red squirrels, and turtle doves, with populations declining due to habitat loss, agricultural intensification, and invasive species.
Loss of Ancient Woodland: Historic forests replaced by monoculture or urban development.
Pollution & Pesticides: Modern farming has damaged soil health and wiped out critical pollinators.
Disconnected Landscapes: Over two-thirds of the UK is used for agriculture, with urban sprawl further fragmenting habitats.

A Growing Disconnection from the Natural World

Reconnecting people with nature isn’t just good for the planet—it’s essential to building happy, resilient communities. At Metta Trust, we believe true happiness comes from living in harmony—with ourselves, with each other, and with nature. That’s why restoring forests and rewilding habitats is not just environmental work—it’s community work.

What We’re Facing:

Increased Screen Time: As people spend more time indoors, in front of screens, and separated from natural rhythms, rates of anxiety, loneliness, and depression have spiked—especially among children.
Broken Relationship Between People and Nature: For too long, we’ve taken from nature without giving back—disrupting ecosystems, disrespecting the planet, and forgetting that we are part of it.
Mental & Physical Wellbeing at Risk: Research consistently shows that time in nature boosts mental health, focus, emotional regulation, and even immune function. As access and exposure decline, so too does community wellbeing.