The GMSL research and field teams combined to obtain some pretty good data from the field in an area where data is almost completely lacking.

In an intensive four month action research exercise, the GMSL research team comprising of Arjuna Seneviratne, Akila Jeewantha, Nimal Kumaratunga, Jayantha Wijesinghe and Tharindu Nandika along with the GMSL Field teams and head office teams extracted an analytical idea of the biodiversity, livelihoods and anthropology of the north – Northeast sector of the Knuckles Conservation Forest and its environs. The reported yielded the fact that treatment for the entire region should be through the river basins and not through a GN/HH mechanism. The biggest challenge in conducting the research was that it was during the time when the impacts of the global health crisis was being severely felt in Sri Lanka but despite this, the mission was accomplished reasonably successfully.

The programming for the next year in these areas will be determined by the inception report and although there are severe challenges, the GMSL is confident of its ground presence and ability to ensure that there is optimal impact to its intervention through the COLIBRI project.