Development of training facilities required by the NGO - YZA to carry out awareness programmes in a well-structured and effective manner and extend the same to rural communities. The training infrastructure thus developed included a well-designed exhibition unit with models depicting different ecological functions, panels, and posters of various important environmentally informative fauna and flora.

Developing a photo library of important floral and faunal species to be used in the educational programmes. The posters, which were initially confined to depicting different types of species, were elaborated at subsequent reproductions, to explain genera as well as threats posed to their extinction, constituting a well equipped mobile environmental exhibition unit.

The grant enabled YZA to increase the number of resource persons in the pool to 35 and they were further trained enabling them to independently handle workshops, exhibitions and training sessions. They were formed in to small groups considering their individual skills and interests, and were assigned specialized themes such as environmental law, organic farming, import export regulations related to flora and fauna, taxonomy and marine ecology etc.

A series of environmental awareness programmes was conducted in Colombo and outside which included activities such as workshops, lectures, exhibitions and slide shows. Two important workshops on the Asian Red Data Book and another on Turtles were organised at the auditorium of the Zoological Gardens, in 1995 attracting a large number of science graduates and the conservationists.

Environmental groups were formed in several schools in Colombo, Ratnapura and Kalautara districts and research promoted among school children. Research proposals were invited and supported as a means to improving their knowledge on bio diversity, effects of the use of polythene and environment pollution. Using the mobile environmental exhibits and the pool of the resource persons, the grantee carried out over fifty environmental education programmes and held several discussion fora for the student of secondary and upper secondary classes in those schools. Research proposals were invited and supported as a means to improving their knowledge on subjects such as bio diversity, effects of the use of polythene and environment pollution. Using the mobile environmental exhibits and the pool of the resource persons, the grantee carried out nearly fifty environmental education programmes and held several discussion fora for the student of secondary and upper secondary classes in those schools.

Publication of information leaflets, news letters and magazines focusing on environmental topics were initiated.The grantee had already initiated a regular news bulletin titled ?Paniwidaya? (Message) to cater to the information needs of its members, but was in poor quality. The quality of the newsletter was improved both in content and in its presentation. Circulation increased and was regular in publication. The quarterly publication of ?Sri Lanka Naturalist? the first of its publication was released in early 1997.