Senior British diplomat takes part in Rainforest Restoration

On the 29th of November, we had the honor of Dr. and Mrs. Peter Hayes, British High Commissioner for Sri Lanka and wife visiting our rainforest plant nursery situated in Baddegama.

The High Commissioner and his wife visited our rescue nursery and got to know some of the special plants that will be used to restore the rainforest. Dr and Mrs. Hayes then walked the 8 acre restoration site owned by the Rainforest Trust of Sri Lanka and Planted two endemic rainforest plants to help the regeneration of the site.

The British High commission and RRI hope to work on promoting the importance of endemic tree species that provide essential habitat for Sri Lanka’s Biodiversity

For more information on Dr. Hayes’ visit to Galle visit:
http://ukinsrilanka.fco.gov.uk/en/news/?view=PressR&id=346200682

Plant a mangrove for the future

On the 15th of November, a National Tree Planting Day was organized by the Ministry of Environment named “Deyata sevana”.

In order to communicate the need to restore the highly threatened Mangrove coastal forests. RRI provided 1000 Mangrove Seedlings, planted by 50 students from Kathaluwa Central College and Martin Wickramasinghe Vidyalaya, Koggala.

The planting took place on the Koggala Lagoon system and the program was attended by representative of the Marine Environment Protection Authority; Mrs. Tharanga Wickramarathne, District Secretary Habaraduwa; Mr.Channa Dasanayake, Commanding Officer Air force Based Koggala. RRI assisted the Sri Lanka Navy Officers of the Nilaveli camp by donating an additional 2500 plants which were to help restore the green belt in the Trincomalee area.

For more information on the Navy planting please visit
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20101116_05

Mangrove and coastal forest restoration is vital, given that Sri Lanka has lost over 99% of it’s mangrove coverage in the past decades due to urbanization pressures and a lack of management. This ecosystems importance in coastal protection was highlighted during the tsunami and will play an important role in the mitigation of climate change related impacts. Coastal livlihoods such as fisheries rely on the mangrove to provide essential breeding grounds for fish.

French tourists are helping to regrow the Rainforest

Travel Development Lanka Pvt. Ltd. (TDL) A Sri Lanka based tour operator is pioneering a truly green partnership with RRI. We are honored to partner TDL and the people of France who have joined together on a program to help reestablish the lost rainforests of Sri Lanka.

In November RRI was proud to launch the program by planting a Rainforest Tree for the Minister of Economic Development Hon. Basil Rajapaksa.
TDL expects approximately 5000 French tourists to visit Sri Lanka annually and RRI will plant a threatened rainforest tree for each tourist arriving in the country. In order to commemorate their visit to Sri Lanka each visitor will receive a planting certificate from RRI along with the name of the tree we have planted .

Planting will take place twice a year on rainforest restoration lands In the Galle district

RRI is very grateful to Travel Development as well as the people of France who are participating in this program to help us in our important work. And help protect the biological diversity of Sri Lanka's precious rainforests and the livelihoods of the people that depend on it.

For information please visit
http://traveldevelopment.asia/news.php?id=13

Rainforest boundary protection programme

We have recently completed a fencing programme to secure an acre of degraded rainforest lands in Hiniduma in preparation for a restoration planting programme. The land has a public footbath running through it and has been used by local residents to graze cattle. By securing the land with a fence of small trees reinforced by wire, we can protect newly planted trees on the centre of land from being disturbed by people or eaten by animals.

Nearly 600 native trees were planted on the edges of the land to define the boundaries. Species include:

Ceiba pentandra produces a type of cotton that can be used for filling in mattresses, pillows, upholstery and stuffed toys. The seeds produce oil used locally in soap and that can be used as fertilizer.

Alstonia scholaris, whose bark contains the alkaloids ditamine, echitenine and echitamine and can be used as an alternative to quinine. Its bark can be used to treat diarrhoea and malaria, as a tonic.

Gliricidia sepium is commonly used for live fencing, makes great fodder and green manure and can be used for rat poison. It is easily propagated and grows quickly, reducing topsoil erosion in the initial stages.

Lannea coromandelica is a gum yielding plant. Young leaves and twigs are medicinal and edible. The gum can be used for paint/lacquer.

Cerbera odollam is used for live fencing, paddy field dividers and green manure. The seeds have the potential to be converted into biodiesel.

Ficus hispida is a medicinal plant used in traditional medicine.

Litsea glutinosa is a medicinal plant which is insect resistant.

Pericopsis mooniana produces a hard wood.

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is an ornamental plant with a large flower and the leaves, roots and flowers have medicinal properties.

The next work we are going to complete is a planting design for the centre of the land to restore the area to rainforest. The planting design will be based on Analog Forestry principles, to help accelerate the regeneration of the land.

World Environment Day Competiton

Many Species. One Planet. One Future. is the theme for this year’s World Environment Day (WED) on 5th June.

If you’ve been following our Endangered Animals of Sri Lanka column, you’ll know that even though the island has a huge diversity of species, many are under threat from extinction. In fact, over the whole of the earth, 17,291 species are known to be threatened – from little-known plants and insects to colourful birds and mammals. And while the human population keeps growing, most animal and plant populations are becoming rarer.

But why is this happening? Reasons include deforestation, pollution, over fishing and hunting, and climate change. In other words, humans are the main cause of most extinctions.

Our planet has a huge diversity of life – known as ‘biodiversity’ – all connected together. Small insects help to pollinate the plants and trees that provide food to many different animals, including humans, while species such as frogs eat mosquitoes and help control the spread of diseases like Dengue. When even one species is taken out of the intricate web of life, the results can be catastrophic.

Competition details
To celebrate this global day for environmental action, we want your help to remind people that millions of humans and millions of species all share the same planet, and only together can we enjoy a safer and more prosperous future. The Funday Times and Rainforest Rescue International are running a poster competition with the theme “Protect Biodiversity. Protect our endangered species.” The prize is:
• A Kodak camera
• A book on the birds of Sri Lanka
• The winning poster printed in the paper

Entry requirements:
Competition is open to anyone aged 8-16
Closing date to receive all entries is 31st May 2010
Poster size should be between A4 and A3
Send your poster, along with your name, age, address, phone number, school and grade, to:
Rainforest Rescue International, 37c Wakunagoda Lane, Galle

Fair trade trees

Greenify UF sold a fantastic 64 trees at their school fair-trade Christmas Fair - which will go towards restoring forest cover and providing essential habitat for Sri Lanka's endangered species.

The trees we are going to plant all have special properties...

The bark from Hal trees (Vateria copallifera) can be used to arrest fermentation, its fruits and flowers are edible and the resin makes a good varnish.

Dorana (Dipterocarpus glandulosus) produces a special oily resin. It is believed this resin was mixed with the paints used for Sigiriya’s Fresco’s - which has kept them as colourful today as when they were first painted over 4,000 years ago.

Na (Mesua Nagassarium) is the national tree of Sri Lanka. The whole plant is medicinal, pollen and seeds can be made into an ointment and put on the skin to help heal broken bones. Its flowers are also used in temple offerings.

Nawada (Shorea stipularis) has special resin that can be used for incense and the bark stops fermentation.

And last but not least, the gum from Hora trees (Dipterocarpus zeylanicus) is used in traditional medicine.

But most importantly, these trees provide a home for rainforest animals.

Ride for the Rainforest

A group of dedicated cyclists from the UK are taking on the challenge of cycling across Sri Lanka, to raise funds for Rainforest Rescue.

Organised by the adventure company Desert Venture, the 10 day trip takes the riders from Sri Lanka’s high-tea country down to the southern coast, starting in 20th February, 2010.

The adventure starts in Kandy exploring the botanical gardens, before moving towards Nuwara Eliya through dramatic hill-country tea estates. Cyclists then climb through extraordinary indigenous vegetation to Horton’s Plains National park before descending through the deep valleys. The riders emerge at the Castlereagh reservoir and climb again to the Peak Forest Reserve. The journey continues with a tumultuous descent to pastoral lowlands of vibrant paddy fields. A day of rest is taken on the edge of Sinharaja rainforest at Surya Kanda, where Rainforest Rescue staff will meet the group to take a gentle trek through the forest and explore why conserving Sri Lanka’s forests is so important. The final stretch of cycling is downwards, towards Galle and the sea for a few well-deserved days of relaxation.

Desert Venture has a history of organising socially responsible adventure holidays – having supported Save the Rhino Trust in Namibia. Having chosen to support Rainforest Rescue in Sri Lanka, the sponsorship money will be put towards two programmes:

• Our Rainforest Corridor programme restores vital rainforest habitat
• Our Rainforest Ranger programme provides fun, environmental education opportunities for children

This venture would not be possible without the support of our partners Rainforest Concern in the UK, who are helping the project by managing the fundraising and sponsorship process.

To find out more contact:
Vanessa Buxton from Desert Venture (VanessaBuxton@kimberleyhall.co.uk)
Visit www.desertventure.org