16 February 2024 12:34 am Views - 65
An MOU was signed between the Department of Forest Conservation of Sri Lanka and AmPark Foundation to restore at-risk forest systems using a modified syntropic agroforestry model. The Revive Project is an initiative of AmPark Foundation, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to fighting climate change globally.
The forest system of Sri Lanka are increasingly at-risk and degrading at an alarming rate. Social and climate change pressures are significantly impacting the faunal and floral biodiversity of these vital ecosystems. The forested regions constitute a significant proportion of the catchment basins of Sri Lanka’s 103 riverine systems and therefore play a vital role in the hydrology and water resource availability of the country.
Syntropic Forestry is a principle which seeks to replicate the natural process of forestation and accelerate it through positive human intervention. The project shall undertake model forest restoration at two, 100-hectare sites in the Ampara and Monaragala districts. The Revive Project intends to expand to further sites within all three ecoregions of Sri Lanka to model the specific challenges and approaches of ecosystem restoration in each. It is expected to benefit more than 1,000 families across the country whilst aiming to educate 5,000,000 students and adults during the project lifespan of 30 years.