Galle Rainforest one of the best in Sri Lanka

Nilma DOLE

As visitors flock to Sri Lanka in search of the winter sun this season, the best gift they can give us (besides the tourism revenue) is planting trees to offset their carbon emissions accumulated when they travel. While many airlines have carbon credit mechanisms to help travellers to do just this, others like ClimateCare.org actually help you calculate your carbon emissions so that you know how much you actually released into the atmosphere.

Haycock Forest, Hiniduma

Sri Lanka has experienced one of the highest deforestation rates of primary forests in the world for the past 15 years. During that period, the country has lost more than 35 percent of its old-growth forest cover, while the total forest cover was reduced by nearly 18 percent. The bad news is that by the 1990s, deforestation rates have increased by more than 25 percent and it is continuing at an alarming rate.

So not only can travellers set the good example of planting trees, this will impel many communities who depend on the environment to revive their relationship with Mother Nature. The effects of global warming can also be significantly reduced if this 'tree-planting' policy is implemented.

With major initiatives like the Sri Lanka's Tourist Board concept of projecting Sri Lanka as an Earth Lung, other projects steered by various clubs (Lions, Rotaract, etc) to have rainforest restoration programmes around the island together with local schools have good benefits only if communities implement it.

The Responsible Tourism Partnership supports the 'Trees for Life Programme' where carbon offsetting can be done at the Hiyara Rainforest which not only offsets CO2 emissions but will also provide staple food and valuable timber for locals in the long term.

Tourists can visit the Bio-Diversity Centre, plant nursery and can be familiar with Sri Lankan medicinal, fruit, timber, indigenous and forest plants. The 'Trees for Life' program has been successful in planting over 100, 000 trees in Galle to restore the environment.

Deia Bakanauskaite, a tourist from the UK, planted six trees at Rainforest Rescue International's restoration project to offset her carbon emissions and she said she enjoyed every second of it despite getting soil on her hands.

Another tourist, Ross who did the same, said that he was happy he did the right thing by planting a tree because Sri Lanka's rainforests are beautiful and getting involved in the whole carbon offsetting process was worthwhile.

Charith Senanayake, the CEO of Rainforest Rescue International (RRI) said "Hindiduma is a biodiversity hotspot because the 'Alliance for Zero Extinction' has placed this as a top habitat for six per cent of the world species of amphibians making it highly endemic and endangered". The Sri Lanka arm of the IUCN has also sanctioned that 'Haycock Hill-Hiniduma Forest Reserve' needs to be protected since it is a very important biodiversity site.

Critically endangered Whistling Shrub Frog, an endemic species of Haycock Forest

Ajantha, an eco-tour guide and naturalist with the RRI, said "The biodiversity hotspot of 'Hiniduma Kandah' or Haycock along with Sinharaja and Kanneliya make up an essential part of rainforest cover that needs to be protected. They are presently in rainforest patches due to development so it is vital that reforestation joins these patches together otherwise the endemic species would have little chance to survive". He said that by planting trees, reforestation will sustain the flora and fauna. "Endangered animals like the Malabar Tree Toad and the Black Microhylid need a proper nature-friendly habitat or else they will eventually be extinct" he said.

The aim of RRI is to have projects that go hand-in-hand with the community development and this was involvement with the Galle community was significant in order to steer it forward. By making partnerships with communities and government authorities, the project was successful in even igniting interest from school children.

The Wildlife Conservation Society of Galle has recently concluded a comprehensive study on the wildlife in Galle and president of the society, Madura de Silva gave valuable insights on it. He said "We discovered 4 new species of freshwater fish and 3 new species of amphibians which proves that some of Sri Lanka's best biodiversity is prevalent in Galle".

The survey was done in six months which was deemed successful as there was an overwhelming discovery that new species were catalogued, most of them believed to be endemic.

When tourists offset their carbon emissions by planting trees, this sets the best example for communities to follow suit. In addition to this, children also have to realise that it is they who will suffer at the end of the day due to the damaging effects of global warming.

Without repeating the mistakes of their ancestors, we all should live in peace and harmony with Mother Nature and develop in a sustainable manner.

Rainforest Rescue International

Based in Galle, Rainforest Rescue International's (RRI) aim is to actively demonstrate sustainable principles and promote biodiversity conservation within the local community, through environmental education and other extension activities.

They hope to reintroduce the concept of sustainable livelihood to the people of the rainforest. By partnering with the Galle Literary Festival last year through the 'kick the CO2 habit' environment campaign to help reduce carbon emissions, RRI have been at the helm of promoting a sustainable and nature-friendly environment.

In order to promote the need for natural biodiversity conservation within the local community, RRI seeks to assist and network environmentally concerned individuals and organisations, within Sri Lanka and internationally for the increased understanding and implementation of global biodiversity principles.

RRI achieves these aims through the creation of commercially viable projects that explore the social and cultural relationships between people and ecology in the past, present and future.

The projects consider the point of view of the consumer, producer and ecologist, thereby establishing a common ground through transparency and mutual understanding. RRI is an organisation with a strong ethical background and sound business management procedures where they plan to develop nurseries for the purpose of re-establishment of endemic plant species in areas where the natural ecosystem has been adversely affected.

They already work with the Galle district where schools and other institutions undertake educational programs with local communities, for example tree planting programs to increase local awareness of endemic plants and their inherent value to the community.

RRI also aims to contribute to the tropical forest scientific knowledge base through multi disciplinary field based projects and applied research. - ND

Frog

Every frog must croak
That is no joke
Agile is the lowly frog
Eating insects, leaving bugs, mosquitoes agog
They live in water, slime, gook
Ugly, ugly face of a spook
Green, grey or brown, they populate the ground
Frog legs are sold and eaten by the pound
Jump, glide around, sit still
Croak often, loud and shrill
Water is the key to their life
They procreate, sleep, avoid danger, strife
Little or big they struggle to survive
Even a frog is happy to be alive
Some become road kill
Or a snake's belly they fill
They have lived, they have died
Some rot, some are fried
Dissected in the lab by a sharp knife
Warts and all, a vital link in the chain of life

- Mahfooz Ali