Green, green trees of your own

By Hiranthi Fernando

How would you like to own a teak planta- tion, grown and cared for without any effort on your part? All you have to do is pay for the land and an annual fee for maintenance after two years.

This is what the Help Green Wanasarana Project, a new concept in forest plantation has on offer. "We introduced the Wanasarana Forest Plantation Project for those interested in the environment, offering financial return through the project," said A.R. Dissanayake, Managing Director of Help Green (Pvt) Ltd., a private company involved in environment-friendly projects.

"We buy large areas of uncultivated land in the dry zone and develop them as teak plantations. The land is divided into sections of 100 plants which take up about quarter of an acre. Anyone interested can invest in a quarter acre or more. The land is maintained free of charge for the first two years. Thereafter, we continue to maintain the land for a fee of Rs.1500 per year."

Help Green was launched by Mr. Dissanayake and four university friends, all from Anuradhapura. Being keen on the environment, as students they started 'Rajarata Parisrikayo', an NGO which undertook environmental services around the town such as city cleaning and tree-planting programmes. After graduation, they worked in the Environment Ministry. Mr. Dissanayake obtained a scholarship to Australia, where he studied Environmental Toxicology. After his return, he decided he could achieve more with Help Green.

Mr.Dissanayake explained that large uncultivated private lands in remote dry zone areas are used for the project. Teak plants suit the dry climate ideally and have a high timber value. In several years, these lands will develop into forest parks with valuable teak trees.

"We chose teak to conserve and protect the natural forests," he said. "About 60% of the requirement of timber in the country is being acquired through the natural forests, which are thus being fast depleted. This project will enable the natural forests to be

conserved as the plantations make more timber available for consumption."

"Teak matures in about 16 years. If it is kept longer, the value increases. During the lifetime of the forest, the environment benefits," Mr. Dissanayake added. Help Green has so far planted almost 500 acres of teak around Anuradhapura, Dambulla, Galewela and Anamaduwa.

There is a also a demand for teak internationally. In Sri Lanka a cubic metre of teak logs costs around Rs.30,000. The value of a well grown teak tree of 20 years is around Rs. 15,000 - 20,000. Although there is a demand for teak in the world, it can be cultivated only in small areas of equatorial countries such as Burma, Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka and some parts of South America. In Sri Lanka, Dambulla, Anuradhapura, Puttalam, Batticaloa and Polonnaruwa are the most suitable areas for teak plantation. Soil conditions make the trees grow rapidly.

Help Green's head office in Anuradhapura implements the forest plantation project. In each project, there is a permanent staff including a residential project officer. An office day is held at the Mahaweli Centre in Colombo every month.

During these sessions, investors who are termed members, can obtain particulars of the projects, make payments, obtain certificates and deeds and sign agreements.

Agreements are signed for the maintenance of the land. Also it is stipulated that the member investing cannot use it for any other purpose.

If he does not wish to continue in the project, he has to resell it to Help Green or transfer to a new investor who is willing to abide by the agreement.

So far, 1900 to 2000 members have bought plots in the plantations. "Our target is 10,000 members," Mr. Dissanayake said.

At the Dambulu Oya site located in a picturesque setting, with the Dambulu Oya flowing alongside, 106 acres have been divided into over 300 blocks. Over 25 acres have already been planted in teak and a drip irrigation system installed. Mr. Dissana- yake said the land had been left unused for many years before they bought it.

The Dambulu Oya provides the plantation with sufficient water for irrigation. A dam had been built across the oya some years ago, in an unsuccessful attempt to send water to the Kandalama Wewa. The water now gushes down over the dam. Help Green plans to fix a turbine there to generate electricity for the site.

"We will also set up a nursery here because there is enough water," Mr. Dissanayake said. They plan to do some inter-cropping with chillies, soya and sweet potato which are short term crops and other vegetables, plantains, papaya and passion fruit.

At the 68-acre Galewela site, inter-cropping has been done on an experimental level and a soya crop already harvested. All 230 plots blocked out have been given out to members. Mr. Dissanayake said the project office, which is no longer necessary since the plots have all been given out, will be converted into a small circuit bungalow for members who visit the site.

They plan to have a circuit bungalow on each project for the convenience of their members. "This was a bare land overgrown with iluk and manna grass. In five years, it will be a healthy plantation," Mr. Dissanayake said.

At the nursery, seeds are planted in beds and kept for about five months, then planted in polythene bags. These young plants can be used in a month. The nursery is manually irrigated by sprinklers. Nine large wells have been dug for irrigation. During July, August and September, when it is very dry, the plants have to be watered to keep them stable.

Leaves fall at this time and the plants look sparse and dry. However, after September, they start growing again.

At Galewela, plants are spaced at 15 feet by seven feet, to leave room for inter-cropping. Mr. Dissanayake explained that they are also experimenting on planting at seven feet by seven feet spacing on some plots. After five and 10 years, the unhealthy trees will be taken out, leaving only those with good trunks. The timbers that are taken out at five years can be used as trusses for concrete slabs and the 10-year timbers for fence and light posts.

When a teak tree is cut, the root is left so that it shoots out again because of a well developed root system, Mr. Dissanayake explained. "Selected trees can be cut at different times. When these shoot out again, others can be cut. Thus the land will never be a desert."

Serenity amidst the bustle

Amidst the hustle and bustle of Anuradhapura town, the Help Green Nature Park is an oasis of green, quiet and serene.

The Nature Park situated just by the main road, Dharmapala Mawatha, was started around two years ago.

The large area earlier a disused field has several beautiful trees and plants with a scenic pond blending into the marshland at one end. Much bird life can be observed in the water. Seats have been placed in quiet spots and paths cleared around the pond.

"We want to preserve the trees and natural habitat," Malinda Sudarshana, another Help Green director explained. In a small nursery, indigenous plants such as sisil pinea, pihimbiya and tabuchiya have been grown in polythene bags to be later planted in the town. "We have a programme to develop Anuradhapura as an environmental city. We plan to develop green spaces together with the Urban Council," he said.

Managing Director Dissanayake said several large 'Keeriya' trees in the park are home to large flocks of birds who nest there during the breeding season from November to April. During this time, the trees are full of birds. Mr. Dissanayake said a breed of Heron which was earlier killed for its flesh is found in abundance at this time.The tortoises 'Kiri Ibba' and 'Gal Ibba' found in the ponds once suffered the same fate but are now thriving in the park.

A picturesque log summer hut decorated with bird pictures is used by bird watchers and lectures are arranged for school- children to help them identify the birds they see.

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