Nearly three years after planting hundreds of trees near Sri Lanka’s gem mining districts,
the results are beginning to show.
Sustainability reports often focus on promises. This one comes with mangoes.
Trees planted through the Sri Lankan Gem & Jewellery Association (SLGJA) and FACETS Sri Lanka Tree Planting Program in late 2023 and early 2024 near the Kiriella gem mining district are now bearing fruit, according to updates and photographs shared by organizers.
The project was part of a broader effort by Sri Lanka’s gem and jewelry industry to support local mining communities while helping restore the landscapes surrounding important gem-producing regions.
More than 300 trees were planted in Kiriella as part of the initiative. Photographs and video show many of those trees now mature enough to produce fruit, providing both environmental benefits and a potential long-term resource for local communities.
The Kiriella project was just one part of a much larger effort. The broader tree-planting campaign ultimately achieved its goal of planting 10,000 trees, with the majority concentrated in and around the gem mining districts.
While sustainability efforts are often measured in reports and statistics, these fruit-bearing trees provide something far more tangible: a visible reminder that some of the industry’s most meaningful investments are now quite literally bearing fruit.
Industry representatives participate in the launch of the SLGJA Tree Planting Campaign in November 2023.
Recent photographs show many of the trees planted during the initiative are now mature enough to produce fruit.
Tree-planting projects such as this one demonstrate how land once used to recover gemstones
can be restored to provide lasting benefits for local communities.
Tap here for the Sri Lankan Gem & Jewellery Association (SLGJA) and FACETS Sri Lanka
