The Green Movement is only too aware that our planet is all we have. This is why we are doing our bit to take care of it. GMSL-COLIBRI’s work in the KCF and its environs have proved our commitment to working with Indigenous People and Local Communities (IPLCs) under the adage “Those who use the most stand to lose the most so they conserve the most”. On World Environment Day  (WED) 2022, we will be launching a program to rehabilitate and rejuvenate about 100 acres of buffer zone forests in the Midland and Deanston estate areas where damaged natural forests and degraded tea lands will be given new natural life through a tree planting process. On the 5th of June (WED), we will be launching the exercise in the Midland Area. The effort will be a community led one as always. The Greens will work with their member organization Grama Abhivurdhi Foundation for Environment Conservation (GAFEC), local communities and its watchdog groups and cascade trainers on this exercise.

Update (6th June)

GMSL and GAFEC planted 520 trees (double the original estimate) at the picturesque camping site at Medawatte as a youth driven initiative with our watchdog groups joining with others in the area to enhance the area around the nature camp that had originally been created by GAFEC under the GEF-SFP 6 range of environmental initiatives. The program went of smoothly. However, as with all such interventions, our oversight would have to be constant to enable these areas to be maintained and the plants allowed to grow without being damaged either by locals or tourists.

The GMSL-GAFEC youth teams meeting before the exercise

Planting in progress

Shot of the site with the teams from up on an adjecent knoll

Enjoying a mid-day meal after hard morning’s work