The Rekawa Lagoon and nearby water bodies provide habitat for migratory birds. Through a collaboration with the Ceylon Bird Club, we trained Community Ecotourism Educators and Tour Guides (CEETs) to share their knowledge with visitors, enhancing awareness of the area's avian biodiversity.

The Rekawa Mangrove Project is an integral part of the Rekawa Nature Trail, offering visitors the opportunity to explore the nursery and replanting sites. CEETs educate tourists about the importance of mangrove ecosystems and their role in coastal conservation.

As the Rekawa lagoon and tanks provide important habitat for migratory birds, the CEET’s with their link up with the 

With support from the Ceylon Tourist Board and the Sri Lanka Hotel School, the TCP trains local community members as certified tour guides. By offering tourism as an alternative livelihood, we reduce the incentive for locals to engage in activities that harm the environment. For example, the nature tourism program established in Rekawa in 1999 employed ten community members as tour guides, effectively linking conservation efforts with sustainable employment.

In 1996 TCP has initiated a community based ‘in-situ’ marine turtle nest protection and research programme in Rekawa. TCP established a turtle hatchery in the Panadura coast in 2023 with the initiative, for ex-situ conservation of turtles. Night beach patrols are conducted to ensure the protection of nesting turtles.

As the Rekawa lagoon and tanks provide important habitat for migratory birds, the CEET’s with their link up with the Ceylon Bird Club involved in sharing their knowledge with the visitors.

Fish breeding can be defined as promoting the reproductive activities of fish or providing the environmental conditions necessary for their reproduction, either in their natural habitat or controlled environments. Various methods are utilized in fish breeding. In this project, TCP employ two techniques; the natural breeding method and the selective breeding method.

The mangrove restoration and afforestation project of TCP has now reached its fourth year with more than 3000 ha of coastal areas under mangrove plantations in North West and East coasts of Sri Lanka. Although some of the mangrove plantations confronted various challenges, the average survival rate of the mangroves remains between 60-65%.

The Turtle Watch Programme is a nature tourism initiative developed by the TCP. This programme is currently conducted under the guidance and supervision of the TCP, with members of the community-based organization, Nature Friends of Rekawa (NFR), providing protection for turtles nesting and laying eggs on the beach.

The creation of a butterfly garden, integrated with the Rekawa village, is a distinctive initiative of the TCP. This initiative transcends being merely an educational programme, serving as a vital step towards conserving biodiversity. By focusing on conservation, education and aesthetic value, butterfly gardens are established based on several key objectives.

TCP has implemented numerous programmes to promote environmental education among the general public and school children. The ultimate aim of these programmes is to inspire the younger generation to embrace and contribute to environmental conservation.

Rekawa is a coast village located 10 km East of Tangalle, in Southern coast Sri Lanka. This is an ecologically important tourist destination. Rekawa beach has been recognized as a habitat for various aquatic life, and visitors will be able to observe a high diversity of marine life in its shallow marine environment and picturesque beach. As such, various species of algae, corals, sea grasses, crustaceans, echinoderms and various fish species can be observed in this beach.