This month we are meeting in Kandy, Sri Lanka, to hear a proposal for the land revitalization. Decades of tea production have deeply impacted the soil and wildlife habitat here, leaving nothing but crystalline dolomite where once a verdant forest stood. Steeply sloping terrain combined with torrential rains during two seasonal monsoons have further contributed to the decline of topsoil deposits. And, once again, we are confronted with a local population that seems to be held in poverty by the jobs they cling to – tending and plucking tea.
The proposal that we are considering is this: transition the land away from tea towards agroforestry. This means replacing the tea plants with fruit-bearing trees. In this way, we can help stimulate the local economy with fruit production while at the same time repairing the land by creating greater biodiversity, a return of native species, and through the elimination of chemical fertilizers. The proposal is to plant trees during two or three rainy seasons, so that the young trees freshly planted will have abundant water and a weaker sun to contend with.
The idea is to attempt to plant 10,000 trees including mango, jack, mara, avocado, sabukku, sapu, toona, as well as many others. The trees are to be selected and mixed in such a way as to support the reemergence of full biodiversity. For instance, some trees find it acceptable to establish themselves in very poor soil and harsh sunlight. These will be the first wave. Then, once they are established somewhat and the soil is stabilized by their presence, a second wave of trees can be attempted. After that, understory and other plants that encourage wildlife, by providing forage, shelter, etc.
In order to obtain funding to get these first 10,000 trees started, we are looking at Carbon Offsets from the trees themselves. This will require support from the agricultural experts in Kandy – fortunately Geeva will help us make that connection.
It is our estimate that within 7-10 years of planting, we will start to see a reasonably-sized fruit crop that will be the true economic engine to help support the local population.
Jay Goodfriend
