Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Horton Plains - Sri Lanka

I finally can say that I've all the UNESCO sites from Sri Lanka. Thanks to Nimasha, I've got cards from the last 2 sites I was still missing. 
Horton Plains is one of the three protected areas classified as World Heritage Site in 2010, under the name of Central Highlands of Sri Lanka. 

Horton Plains in Sri Lanka, is the coldest and windiest location in the country. It consists of ecosystems such as Montane evergreen forests, grasslands, marshy lands and aquatic ecosystem. At an altitude of 2,100 meters above sea level, Horton Plains spreads across over 3,169 hectares of the highest tableland of the island.

Photo: Rohitha Gunawardena
Horton Plains, its surroundings, forests and the adjoining Peak Wilderness constitute Sri Lanka’s most important catchment area of almost all major rivers. The plains are also of outstanding scenic beauty and conservation importance, containing most of the habitats and endemic plants and animals representative of the country’s wet and Montane zones. The western slopes support the most extensive area of Montane cloud forest surviving in the island. Horton Plains is not merely a destination for nature tourists. Since the rich biodiversity of Horton Plains is still grossly underexplored, it affords invaluable opportunities to those engaged on educational and research activities. - in: https://lanka.com/about/attractions/horton-plains/

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