Helping Mother Nature

Nilma DOLE

Hunnasgiriya is now a place that resonates with a feeling of calmness and solitude because Mother Nature has been protected. Still a place for newly-weds, Hunas Falls is a special haven where one can plant a tree and know fully well that it will be nurtured like a child.

In a bid to pledge their support in analogue reforestation, trees at Hunas Falls are now free to display their leaves and branches because Jetwing, an associate company of Hayleys has ensured that the JEEP, Jetwing Eternal Earth Project, will drive on.

Celebrating one year of the launch of their JEEP, it was evident that this tree planting can be beneficial to not only help the environment but also help achieve peace of mind.

Sri Lanka Tourism

A simple ceremony was held in the presence of Sri Lanka Tourism chairman Bernard Gunatilleke as the Chief Guest. Environment activist and veteran actress Iranganie Serasinghe who is also the Patron of the project, said: “We should know what is going around the world and make sure our children do not suffer for the sins we have committed.”

She added: “I am glad that this project will help steer education on environment in the right direction so that we have hope for the future.”

Rajiv Sebastian, an Honorary Brand Ambassador of the project, produced an Earth Song together with Nirosha Virajini and sang it with the children of the schools who were involved in the project. The earth teams of Jetwing hotels have also been instrument in doing their job to mitigate Global Warming.

Renton de Alwis, former chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism, said that it was good to see that this project has achieved success because the tree that he planted was still there.

“I am happy to be involved even more in the Earth Lung project to make Sri Lanka a great green destination because we should think about climate change before time runs out,” he said.

The message from Nobel Peace Prize winner and Vice Chairman of Inter-governmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) Professor Mohan Munasinghe was, “there are many social benefits for planting trees because it provides employment for the local community.

Research has shown that compared to people in places without trees, people in buildings with trees enjoyed better relations with neighbors and reduced violence. Trees send a message of care, quality, and welcome, and can give a district a distinct character that customers like.”

The other patron of the project Captain of the Sri Lanka cricket team Mahela Jayawardena said, “We all have to contribute to this change. Only by working together can we protect our future and our beloved Sri Lanka. Remember that today’s children are tomorrow’s leaders you have the power to change our world for the better.”

After one year, Jetwing found out that by creating a model re-forestation project, it had been successful because it was easy to replicate this method in many climatic zones even in a small space. The Jetwing team did as much as they could to get tourists to plant trees to offset their carbon emissions by way of ‘travel guilt’.

Hence, this project proved to be a mighty feat because even barren land can be cultivated to optimum as showed with the hundred acres of land that was near the hotel, is approximately eight acres that is planted with around 1200 trees grown under analogue forestry and a forest garden technique.

By way of education and awareness, the main purpose of the project is to enlighten a school child that having a ‘green thumb’ is not only beneficial now but also vital in the long run.

Earth Team

The special ‘Earth Centre’ with assistance from the Earth Team is on duty to help children should they need some guidelines and a special website or ‘Web Forest’ at www.eternalearth.net also offers clients the ability to make investments towards this worthy cause. The community has also been involved in the project and it is now easier to make the hotel a earth-friendly building.

Says Hiran Cooray, the deputy chairman of Jetwing, “We have taken the project to another level by making sure we adhere to sustainable practices because we are mindful of the environment.” Developments are already underway to introduce a wood gasifier and a mini-hydro power project at the Hunas Falls hotel.

The gasifier will burn Gliricedia Sepium fuelwood in en enclosed chamber in an environment friendly process to produce hot water for guest use. Planting Gliricedia is already taking place in the JEEP forest that also enriches the infertile soil with nitrogen.

The Hydro power generation from the free flowing water from Hunas falls will supplement the power requirements of the hotel. Jetwing has the best interests of Mother Nature and they hope that others follow suit.