Army requests that private sector collaborate in restoring Wilpattu

• Planting 500,000 saplings in 2,100 acres in Wilpattu
• Army looks after tender plants for 2 years
• New Army camp at Kalaru provides security to Wilpattu with Navy

By Shanika Sriyananda

The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has requested that the public and the private sectors join its Wilpattu Reforestation Project under the ‘Thuruliya Wenuwen Api’, designed to regain a large swathe of forest that was illegally felled in the Wilpattu National Park (WNP).

The lush forest cover, with an extent of over 3,000 acres destroyed by politically influenced people, has been in the limelight for over a decade. Eco-groups have run several campaigns against clearing forest patches in the buffer zone of the Wilpattu National Park to set up new settlements.

While the felling of age-old trees and clearing of forest patches were taking place rapidly ignoring public outcry, the Army has initiated the reforestation project to regain the destroyed forest patches in the WNP following the directions of the SLA Commander Lt. Gen. Mahesh Senanayake, who pioneered this project.

The project was kicked off by the SLA Chief on 18 May to mark the 10th Anniversary of the humanitarian operation that ended LTTE terrorism in the country.

“This project is also a tribute to the war heroes who contributed to the annihilation of terrorism to bring peace to the country 10 years ago. We invite the corporate sector to join with in this project to preserve a green Sri Lanka. At the moment, several leading companies are contributing to the project in a big way. They have taken plots under their company name and have already planted some thousands of saplings. But, we need more companies, big and small, to join with us in this important project,” SLA’s Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Kumudu Perera said.

According to Maj. Gen. Perera, the replanting project is feasible and sustainable, with the Army being involved in the entire process from planting saplings to nurturing them until they become grown enough to survive in the WNP.

“When the private sector carries out the replanting with the co-ordination of the SLA, it is easy for them to make their contribution,” said Maj. Gen. Perera, who was the former Security Forces Commander of Wanni. 

“We have a sustainable tree planting plan where we water, use fertiliser, protect the saplings from wild animals and other causes and also look after them for over two years,” Maj. Gen. Perera explained.

Spearheading this project, he thanked the SLA Chief for initiating and giving it his full blessing.

“The Army has already planted 8,000 saplings. We are following the guidelines of the Forest Department, Department of Wildlife and Conservation and other local Government agencies. We are using a special technique - a clay pot to store water, which was used in ancient days to keep moisture around each plant for a few days,” he explained.

Following the instructions of the Forest Department, eight varieties of saplings - Nuga, Kumbuk, Kone, Kohomba, Weer, Palu, Mee, Madam and Milla - which can adapt to the soil condition in the WNP terrain, will be planted to restore the green cover.

The selected land area for the project spans the north of Modaragan Aru to Kondachchi, covering 2,100 acres which are devoid of trees due to illegal felling to set up new housing projects. An area is also earmarked for setting up some more villages in the future.

“SLA’s presence was not there earlier in this area until we established a camp in Kalaru in April this year. We are working closely with the Forest Department. The soldiers will do patrolling in this area and if someone is caught felling trees, he will be handed over to the Forest Department to take legal action,” he explained.

The SLA has strengthened security in the area with the joint co-ordination of the three Navy camps between Modaragam Aru to Kondachchi.

‘Thuruliya Wenuwen Api’ is a project that Ceylon Biscuits Ltd. and TV Channel Derana partnered with the SLA to plant an estimated 500,000 trees in WNP.

SLA Chief commenced the project by planting a ’Margosa’ sapling on the War Hero’s Commemoration Day at the 46th Mile Post at Marichchakaddi on 18 May.

Since 18 May, over 60,000 saplings have been planted by various parties, including companies, State institutions, schools as well as other interested people and organisations.

According to Maj. Gen. Perera, the entire plot of land with 2,100 acres has been divided into half-acre blocks and any company or organisation can acquire those blocks to start planting.

He said that companies could put fences around the selected plots to protect plants from wild animals. “They also can put up their company name boards in these selected lands. They can put up fences on their own or provide necessary cost or material to the Army to do fencing. They also have to spend money on water,” he added.

A ‘Thuruliya Venuwen Api’ account has been opened at the People’s Bank for people, including those who are living abroad, to donate money for plants, fertiliser, erect fencing and water bills.

“We have opened this account mainly following a lot of requests from Sri Lankans living abroad who wanted to contribute to this re-planting project. Those who are unable to come to WNP to join the project can hand over plants to the nearest SLA camps in their respective areas,” Maj. Gen. Perera said.

He said that the SLA had received a good response from the public and also several leading private sector companies so far. “We have not expected a good response from the people living in nearby villages but from the day we launched the project they support us. School children in Silawatura joined the project by planting saplings,” he said adding that people living in four newly established villages Marichchikaddi, Hunes Nagar, Sinnath Nagar and Palsothikandal, where over 5,000 houses were built, are still not supporting the tree planting program.

“This is the only opportunity that civilians have to restore WNP. If the public doesn’t come forward to support the replanting program, this forest cover will not be regained forever,” Maj. Gen. Perera said.

According to the Forest Department estimation, 232 trees can be grown in one acre. The project will be continued by General Officer Commanding of the 11 Division Maj. Gen. Senarath Bandara.

Expressing her long-term assistance to SLA’s Wilpattu Reforestation project, the famous brand icon Otara Gunewardene recently joined the project by planting saplings in Silawathura.

Members of the Kandy School Millennium have also donated 1,000 saplings and a stock of 10,000kg of compost manure to the project.

“People, institutions and organisations from the four corners of the country want to support this project. We believe that the corporate sector has a big responsibility to be a part of this program to make a greener Sri Lanka,” Maj. Gen. Perera said.