At present, well co-ordinated research programmes spearheaded by the Department of Botany of the Peradeniya University are being carried out using basic phytosociological studies as a framework. A dozen or so species have been selected for special study such as Caryota urens (Kitul), Vateria coppalifera (Hal), Coscinium frnestratum (Weniwel), and several Shorea app. (Thiniya, Dun, Beraliya). Some of these plants are used as food, spice or medicine by the village communities living around the forest. In addition, the reproductive biology of some commercially valuable plywood species is being studied for the purpose of domestication. An illustrated handbook of the trees of the Sinharaja is currently under preparation. A large scale programme for the propagation of the giant rattans viz. Calamus ovoideus (Thuda rena), Calamus zeylanicus Ochlandra stridula (Bata) has been initiated by the Forest Department, while the National Herbarium is carrying out a taxonomic survey of shrubs, herbs and ferns.