NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS (NBG)
Introduction
Division of National Botanic Gardens
consists of the following units headed by the Director, National Botanic Gardens.
Vision
To become the best Botanic Gardens in the Asian tropics
by the year 2015
Mission
Provide opportunities to study, conserve
and appreciate natural and man made environments
Objectives
History and Heritage
The Botanic Gardens of Sri Lanka were started in the
early 19th century, long before the establishment of the Universities, the
National Museum or any other institution involved in the study of natural
sciences. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya came into being in 1821 and
was followed by gardens at Hakgala in 1861 and Henarathgoda in 1876.
These institutions are responsible for all major plant introductions for economic
and environmental development in this country. Activities that followed resulted
in the development of economic and plantation crops, emergence of important
state departments such as Department of Agriculture, and institutions for
the development of Plantation Crops such as Tea and Rubber.