Cinnamon Rainforest Restoration Project
Restoring a previously existing or degraded forest ecosystem is one of the most important tree planting involved activity to change our world into a better place.
The "Cinnamon Rainforest Restoration Project”, which is being carried out in collaboration with Ruk Rakaganno (The Tree Society of Sri Lanka), the Forest Department of Sri Lanka, and the John Keels Foundation, aims to restore a deteriorated 50-acre plot over a three-year period, after which nature will take over the regeneration process.
Blissfully the Nature Team members were also able to contribute into Cinnamon Rainforest Restoration Project. Nature lovers of the Nature team got together on 25th of September with the sake of planting trees and facilitating natural growth in a nearby lost area of legendary Sinharaja.
Usually a tree plantation programme happens by planting in some abundant land. But here what Nature Team did was planting trees in an area which was studied thoroughly, removing the invasive plants in that specific area and making the initial step in turning that land into a forest in future.
Before starting our task, we had a small lecture by Mr. Vimukthi Weerathunga and Mr Himesh Dilruwan Jayasinghe. They enlightened us on how a forest can be restored, what the invasive plants are and how it affects to the growth of other plants. This was a great opportunity for all who participated to the event as to get the knowledge shared by the experts and it this was better experience than a usual tree plantation programme. We all got an idea as to how a proper tree plantation should be done.
A special thanks goes to Mr. Vimukthi Weerathunga for giving us the opportunity as the first group of outside volunteers to take part in this forest restoration programme. As the Nature team of University of Moratuwa it's pleasurable proud moment to contribute this great effort.