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Sumith Pilapitiya

Sumith Pilapitiya

Dr. Sumith Pilapitiya is a renowned environmental specialist and conservation scientist whose career spans over three decades, blending field research, policy advisory, and education. With a background in engineering and environmental science (PhD), he began working on expert systems for solid-waste and landfill management in Sri Lanka, and rose to become Lead Environmental Specialist at the World Bank for South Asia. He later served as Director-General of Sri Lanka’s Department of Wildlife Conservation, leading strategic initiatives on human–elephant conflict (HEC) mitigation, community-based fencing models, elephant-viewing tourism frameworks, and protected area management reforms to balance conservation with local livelihoods. A skilled communicator and consultant, Sumith has led major wildlife and climate projects at the World Bank and contributed technical guidance at public forums and conservation networks across South Asia. Motivated by research-driven impact and stewardship of Sri Lanka’s biodiversity, he champions science-based conservation, stakeholder collaboration, and human–nature coexistence strategies grounded in local ecological realities and inclusive planning.

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