Sustainability and The Kite Green Initiative
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Impact Initiatives
At Kitesurfing Lanka, we believe in business as a force for good.
At Kitesurfing Lanka you have the chance to consciously and sustainably experience Sri Lanka’s natural beauty and hospitality whilst having the adventure of a lifetime!
While we recognize that tourism is a crucial avenue for economic upliftment, we’re increasingly more mindful of our impact on both local communities and natural ecosystems that form the backbone of all experiences at Kitesurfing Lanka. Kalpitiya is an ecologically sensitive region, vulnerable to the effects of Climate Change, much like the rest of Sri Lanka’s diverse coastal wetlands. The resident communities of Kalpitiya which comprise largely of agrarian (farming) and traditional fishing folk, are the custodians of these lands, they depend on critical ecosystems services for their livelihoods. We’re grateful and respectful every day for the opportunity we’ve been offered to develop and operate our tourism business here. The locals kindly hold space for us, and in turn we, as guests, should at the very least be holding space for them and their invaluable resources.
Since Kitesurfing Lanka was founded in 2011 by Dilsiri Welikala (Sri Lanka) and Leo Moret (France), the business has evolved to implement various sustainability and community initiatives for the greater good. But we’re not stopping there. We recognize that “sustainable tourism” is no longer enough. We’ve collectively come too far to just ‘sustain’ our destinations as they are; this is as true for Kalpitiya as for any other place on Earth today. We’ve extracted and consumed more than what the planet can naturally regenerate.
As such, we’ve taken the leap to develop a comprehensive, long-term yet practical and measurable ‘Regenerative Tourism Action Plan’ for Kitesurfing Lanka. Our intention is to become stewards of the very destination we promote. We’re collaborating with RETRACE Hospitality to develop this Regenerative Tourism Action Plan, keeping careful consideration of all stakeholders that make-up our ecosystem here in Kandakuliya and the wider Kalpitiya peninsula. This includes both natural ecosystems and local communities. We will be updating this page with more details about our Regenerative Tourism Action Plan, and other impact aspirations at Kitesurfing Lanka, so do stay tuned!”
What can you do for a Greener and Cleaner Sri Lanka?
What is the Kite Green Initiative?
Mangroves are disappearing 3-5 times faster than overall global forest losses, with serious ecological and socio-economic impacts. This is why the protection of mangrove ecosystems is essential today.
The other areas where the Kite Green Initiative is ocean plastic pollution prevention. We have constant dialogue with the town council and community to find solutions on this global problem. As part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals we have formed a inter municipality partnership project with the Town Council of Charlottenburg Wilmersdorff Berlin and Kalpitiya where an educational programme is being run in both regions addressing Ocean Plastic Pollution Prevention.
In addition, we are very involved in the tourism industry where a coalition has been formed through the Kalpitiya Peninsular Tourism Association where efforts are being made to brand Kalpitiya as a truly Sustainable Tourism destination.
Donation
How do the donations work?
And how do we support your quest for an environmentally sustainable adventure in Sri Lanka?
The sustainability efforts at Kitesurfing Lanka are focused on reforestation initiatives and on reducing waste – firstly inside KSL as well as within the community. We have a long term inter municipality project with the town council of Charlottenburg Wilmerdorff Berlin and the Kalpitiya Town Council on Ocean Plastic Pollution Prevention where we work with the local school children and government officials on inculcating environmental stewardship.
We actively reduced the introduction and consumption of single-use plastic across our facilities. From simple steps like serving your fresh coconut with a metal straw rather than using plastic, to a refusing to buy PET.
Our ethos also includes making a difference, we have been able to positively change a sleepy little fishing village and create a new industry in Sri Lanka. We take great pride in employing and supporting the local community. We made a conscious decision outsource services to the village, so they can earn a living through the tourism industry too.
A decade later, we have seen how the community around us have developed and their quality of life increased. The local fishermen now have their own guest houses, their kids are kitesurfing instructors and work in the tourism trade earning much more than their parents. This regenerative tourism aspect is something we must try and replicate all over Sri Lanka.
When you chose a camp like ours, you not only chose to have an adventure of a lifetime in an environment that captures the raw beauty and authentic spirit of Sri Lanka, you also chose to preserve the islands natural environment, culture and heritage
If you want to learn more about our ecological initiatives or have suggestions of your own, please let us know at info@kitesurfinglanka.com, subject line ‘Sustainability’.
