Research in forest restoration sites:
Two collaborative partnerships in the pipeline
Suduwelipotha, Weddagala
Ruk Rakaganno – The Tree Society of Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Forest Department, John Keells Foundation (JKF) & Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts (CHML) have commenced the restoration of a 20-ha degraded plot of land allocated by the Forest Department, located in the Suduwelipotha Village, about 1.5km from the Weddagala-Sinharaja Road. Such restoration sites provide living laboratories where tropical research could flourish. EcoServ would join hands with Rukrakaganno and John Keells to kick start research activities at this site, which is of special significance given its proximity to the Sinharaja Rainforest. Our research aims to provide the much-needed scientific information on biodiversity-ecosystem functioning as well as on restoration ecology, which would be critical for future rainforest restoration actions in the country.
PhD student registered
Ms. Nimashi Fernando was registered for a PhD under the Department of Plant Sciences of the Faculty of Science, University of Colombo. One of the strengths of this project is that its collaborative supervised by members of three different universities (Dr. Hashendra Kathriarachchi, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Colombo; Prof. Mayuri Wijesinghe, Department of Zoology & Environment Sciences, University of Colombo & Dr. Saminda Fernando, Department of Zoology, The Open University of Sri Lanka, all members of Ecoserv, and Prof. Sisira Edriweera, Department of Forestry & Sciences, Uva-Wellassa University
Ms. Nimashi Fernando was registered for a PhD under the Department of Plant Sciences of the Faculty of Science, University of Colombo. One of the strengths of this project is that its collaborative supervised by members of three different universities (Dr. Hashendra Kathriarachchi, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Colombo; Prof. Mayuri Wijesinghe, Department of Zoology & Environment Sciences, University of Colombo & Dr. Saminda Fernando, Department of Zoology, The Open University of Sri Lanka, all members of Ecoserv, and Prof. Sisira Edriweera, Department of Forestry & Sciences, Uva-Wellassa University
She will be investigating the successional changes in an early ecological restoration site in the buffer zone of a tropical lowland rainforest, Southwest Sri Lanka
University of Colombo students engage in field work at Suduwelipotha
The fourth year zoology honours students following the Wildlife Management course of the Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, accompanied by Prof. Mayuri Wijesinghe and Mr. Dushy Perera were were in Suduwelipotha from 5-7 of April 2022 for field work.
Work involved included a bird & butterfly survey, frog sampling, pitfall and small mammals trapping, and nematode sampling
Diyakothakanda
Diyakothakanda is a 2-ha plot on a denuded hill slope that lies at the base of Roonakanda rainforest. This land, skirted by the Maguru Ganga, was provided by the Forest Department to the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) for restoration. Replanting commenced in 2009 based on the ‘Relay Floristics Model’ under this project dubbed ROAR – Reforestation Of A Rainforest, which aimed to link conservation, science and community development. EcoServ has been entrusted with the task of initiating research activities here. It is hoped that, whilst providing scientific insights into the processes of re-establishment of rainforests on degraded lands, this fruitful partnership would result in building an inalienable link between the rural community and the forest ecosystem.
