Immediately adjacent to the Sinharaja rainforest and upstream of a tradition village, the field center for the Sri Lanka Program for Forest Conservation is a state-of-the-art research facility that is self-sufficient in energy through solar and micro hydro power. The Center comprises approximately 20 acres of old cinnamon plantations, riparian forests, streams, wetlands, and second growth forest that are ideal for experimental plantings and treatments.

Since 2010 the research station has been housing student and professional researchers from all over the world. The station comprises two bedrooms (2 people per room) for researchers as well as a bunkroom for technicians (sleeping 4) with a living room, veranda, bathroom, kitchen, and dining-room.

Sinharaja Rainforest Key figures:

  • Area: 11,187 ha
  • Southwest lowland wet zone of Sabaragamuwa and Southern provinces, Sri Lanka (Lat: 6⁰21’ – 6⁰26’ , Long: 80⁰21’ – 80⁰26’)
  • Elevation: 200 – 1300 m
  • Mean Annual Rainfall: 3750 – 5000 mm
  • Mean Annual Temperature: 25C⁰ – 27C⁰
  • Mean Annual Precipitation (MAP): 4000 – 6000 mm distributed evenly throughout the year with a minimum of 198 mm in February and a maximum occurring during the southwest (May-July) and northeast (October-January) monsoonal periods (Ashton et al., 1997)
  • Soils: Ultisol (USDA, 1975; Panabokke, 1996) underlain by ridge and valley topography comprised of metamorphic schist and gneiss (Cooray, 1967)