The Kanneliya–Dediyagala–Nakiyadeniya (KDN) Biosphere Reserve, designated in 2004, is an ecosystem-based regional network in Sri Lanka covering a total area of 25,393 hectares and supporting a population of approximately 24,000 people. Located at 6.23437° latitude and 80.3864° longitude, this forest complex has been identified through national conservation reviews and biodiversity monitoring surveys as one of the country’s most important biodiversity hotspots, recognized as the richest site for plant diversity in Sri Lanka and holding significant cultural, historical, and socio-economic value. The core zone, spanning 5,894 hectares, encompasses the entire Kanneliya forest and consists of dense natural forest, while the forests of Nakiyadeniya (5,866 ha) and Dediyagala (13,473 ha) forests form the buffer zone, which is also dominated by natural forest cover. The transition zone includes diverse land uses such as tea, rubber, cinnamon, and paddy cultivation, along with homesteads, townships, and roads across 24 Grama Niladhari Divisions, where community dependence on non-timber forest products has historically posed conservation challenges, highlighting the need for sustainable livelihood and resource management strategies.