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SPECIAL NOTE:

In view of the Wuhan virus. I will not be hosting any CouchSurfers visiting tourist sites/public spaces in Singapore. If you are here for a specific meeting to or purpose other than visiting sites with alot of people, then its fine.

Hopefully this virus will come under control soon, and I can host all you lovely people!

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I am a conservation biologist with the sole aim of doing what I can to save what little remains. I worked at the Singapore Botanic Gardens as the head tree surgeon for many years, so I know that place very well. Actually built the healing garden with medicinal plants there myself. Currently a PhD student in Southeast Asia doing lots of work on plants in tropical rainforests.

My work takes me to forests in many different parts of Asia, mainly in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Cambodia. Where I work with people collecting plants, some of which are new to science. Personally, I have witnessed forests I once walked in disappear, and am trying to do what I can to stop the tide.

I am a bit tied up with fieldwork, so can hang out at night only.

Also set up a permaculture farm in Sri Lanka to fund my conservation work: on IG and FB as ConservationLinks

More about me here: https://lahiruwijedasa.wordpress.com/
IG: lahirux & conservationlinks

Just for the record, I strongly believe in everyone's right to have and express their own sexual orientation. Someday, it wont matter. I host everyone, irrespective of orientation (for clarity I am straight).

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Its nice to meet new people and have a good time! I really like meeting new people and sharing thoughts and experiences.

Interests

I've spent my time seeing new places and how environments and people have been shaped and shape each other. This led me to take an active role in trying to make things better. Particularly in the conservation world and in agriculture.

My training has been as an arborist and botanist. I am still amazed when I see how plants react and shape the world.

• culture
• geography
• geology
• food
• forests
• trees
• international politics
• nature conservation
• biodiversity

Music, Movies, and Books

I have a bit of an eclectic taste to music - anything that sounds nice...

Movies tend to be interesting ones that leave you thinking after....Shawshank redemption, Blood Diamond, Syriana.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Discovered 11 species of plants new to science.

Got a 400 square kilometer tropical forest in Borneo conserved (i.e. prevented it from being converted to oil palm).

Bought an 8 acre plot of land in Sri Lanka to set up a 100% organic farm for spices. The story is still unfolding, lets see where it goes...

Teach, Learn, Share

Conservation, body language of trees, botany, termite identification, remote sensing, reforestation, agriculture, farming.

Everyone has an interesting story!

What I Can Share with Hosts

Good company, and could host you wherever I am next.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Belize, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Oman, Qatar, Scotland, Switzerland, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom