Restoring Rainforests, Engaging Communities

Protecting the
Rain Forests of Sri Lanka

Land Owners Restore Rainforests in Sri Lanka (LORRIS) works directly with local landowners to reconnect fragmented montane evergreen canopy corridors—safeguarding the critically endangered Montane Slender Loris.

Learn More About Us

< 100

Mature Montane Loris Remaining

76 km²

Extent of Occurrence

28 km²

Area of Occupancy

Species Focus

South Western Red Slender Loris

Loris tardigradus ssp. tardigradus — Endemic primate species across Sri Lanka's south western wet-zone rainforests.

Status: Endangered 1 / 6

Found in rainforests in South western wet-zone region.

Conservation Status

Found in rainforests in South western wet-zone region.

Canopy Corridors Solution

Because lorises are strictly arboreal and rarely walk on open ground, LORRIS works with private land owners to construct and preserve natural continuous canopy bridges across tea estates and mountain roads.

Nocturnal Field Research

Our teams utilize specialized non-invasive red-light camera traps and thermal tracking to monitor canopy bridge usage and catalog surviving individuals.

Our Pillars of Action

What We Do

Integrating scientific conservation, private landowner agreements, and community engagement across Sri Lanka’s wet zone.

Flagship Program

Rainforest Restoration

Sri Lanka’s Wet Zone retains only approximately 8% of its original primary forest, with the remaining natural forests surviving as severely fragmented patches. These vital ecosystems face growing threats from forest degradation, habitat fragmentation, invasive alien plant species, soil erosion, unsustainable extraction of forest resources, and climate-related pressures. We work in partnership with private landowners, plantation managers, and government institutions to restore degraded habitats and reconnect isolated forest patches through ecological restoration and landscape-level conservation initiatives.

Education and Capacity Building

Inspired by Baba Dioum’s timeless words (1968), “In the end, we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we are taught.”

We believe education and knowledge are the foundations of lasting conservation. Through environmental awareness, practical training, knowledge-sharing, and community engagement, we empower local communities, strengthen conservation capacity, and inspire future generations to become responsible stewards of nature.

Support Education Drives

Community Empowerment and Sustainable Livelihoods

We empower local communities by building skills and creating livelihood opportunities that support both people and nature. Through training in nature guiding, wildlife interpretation, hospitality, and sustainable ecotourism, we equip local youth to participate in conservation-based economic activities. We also promote resource-efficient practices, sustainable natural resource management, and alternative livelihoods to reduce dependence on forest resources, minimise pressure on natural ecosystems, and strengthen long-term community stewardship.

Explore Community Impact