Project Update

The plans for building a visitors centre at Kosgoda have been postponed in favour of building at Rekewa near Tangalle. Rekewa Beach is one of the most prolific sea turtle nesting areas in the Indian Ocean and famous for turtle conservationist world wide. The new visitors centre will be constructed with native materials and have a strong echo friendly theme. Purchasing beach front land has proved very difficult but we are confident that this will occur very soon. ASL has reallocated funds for 2007 with the purpose of continuing the reforestation of the de-nuded coast line, we are planning more nurseries and another 100,000 saplings will be planted. We also want to develop income generated nurseries for small local holdings. (Including ayurvedic medicinal plants, jack fruit and mango trees and many more). Recently, as part of research and development, 6 turtles were fitted with harmless tracking devices in Sri Lanka and sent out to sea to monitor their migratory patterns, TCP are hoping to learn critical information about these fascinating creature’s destinations. (The leather back turtle has been spotted as far south as the Antarctic Circle!) For a full report please see the following pages below ASL funding provides Mangroves at Rekewa Lagoon &  Pandanus beach pines at Rekewa.

Background

 In 5 minutes on December 26th, the majority of the breeding grounds for sea turtles were destroyed, including coastal vegetation and sea corals. For the last 24 months, the Turtle Conservation Project has been restoring their two projects at Rekewa and Kosgoda. Prior to December 26th, 50% of their funding was derived from tourists paying to observe turtles coming to lay eggs. Sri Lanka is home to 5 of the world’s 7 species of sea turtles. These are the Green Turtle, Loggerhead Turtle, Hawksbill Turtle, Leatherback Turtle and the Olive Ridley Turtle. All 5 species are either critically endangered or endangered. ASL is committed to funding this project for 2007.

 

Objectives

AdoptSriLanka are committed to helping the Turtle Conservation Project in the following ways;

1. In order for turtles to return to the shores of Sri Lanka, it was important to restore the natural habitat which was in place before the Tsunami. We have provided funds for a major re-forestation programme. During 2005 & 2006, this involved growing 300,000 Mangrove & pandanus plants from seedlings to saplings then replanting in the lagoons and coast line. In 2007 we will be following a similar path with a small exception to include income generated tree crops of small livelihood projects (see update).

2. We have agreed to build an eco-friendly visitor centre in Rekewa and which will provide foreign and local visitors with an information centre and viewing platform to observe turtles in their natural environment. We are also providing funds to assist with research and other needed facilities including the provision of tanks for injured turtles to convalesce in before being returned to the sea.

For further information on turtles, visit www.tcpsrilanka.org

ASL’s combined marine& coastal conservation project

a) The reforestation of the Sri Lankan Coastline after the 2004 Asian Tsunami

ASL has been supporting the Turtle Conservation Project that works in the key conservation areas on the south coast of Sri Lanka for fifteen months. Our support incorporates the mangrove and pandanus reforestation programme and the turtle conservation programme.

The devastating effect on the Sri Lankan coastline created by the 2004 Asian Tsunami literally tore apart  the Sri Lankan coast line; denuding its natural habitat and vegetation along the way. As a direct result Adoptsrilanka immediately offered financial and volunteer support to TCP. We consider an extremely worthy project.

The TCP organisation is the only officially recognised Conservation project in Sri Lanka and headed by Thushan Kapurusinghe a well known Marine Biologist and his highly experienced team.

Our initial project was set up to provide funds for localised nurseries to grow pandanus and mangrove seedlings that would eventually be replanted all along the coast from south of Colombo to Hambantota.

ASL funded 15 nurseries and from these nurseries a total of 300,000 seedlings have now been planted...

These nurseries were organised by TCP who trained locals on the management of the plants and seedlings that eventually grew into the young saplings we then permanently planted on the coast line. The size of this operation has now provided new employment alternatives and income for the local coastal communities.

Young mangrove saplings	Thousands of ASL pandanus saplings at the nursery

From this first initiative, the demand to generate income encouraged locals to diversify.  In Sri Lanka there is also a demand for fruit and medicinal bearing trees. The benefit of these “produce trees” is obvious, they provide a very good income all year round and are popular alternatives of employment.

At the moment in Sri Lanka there is a huge demand for this type of planting and the TCP is now supplying fruit bearing plants to the Coastal Conservation and Horticultural Departments.

Most of Sri Lankan fruits are considered as medicinal and the country relies on a strong Ayurvedic medical system. With a large percentage of the country living below the poverty line there is a strong demand for herbal medicine as a cheaper alternative and often believed to be more effective. By stimulating the market for herbal remedies and herbal teas and drinks we think it achieves multiple purposes; “financial independence, environmental awareness and health consciousness”

We are actively encouraging funding of the indigenous plants that have a high medicinal value as well as funding for our ongoing programme of pandanus and mangrove nurseries.

This project requires $25,000 to combat the serious denuding of the coast line and mangrove forests

b) The Conservation of Sri Lanka’s Endangered Sea Turtles

Sri Lanka is home to 5 of the worlds 7 species of sea turtles.  For every 1000 eggs laid the survival rate is 1 or 2. We wish to raise the awareness and help to promote the protection of endangered turtles.

The fascinating and critically endangered sea turtles of Sri Lanka have next to no research development programmes other than the TCP. There is no turtle hospital or any facility to treat injured turtles. At present we have two old tsunami wrecked boats we use as hold tanks.

There is only sketchy information about the migratory habits of sea turtles. TCP has now attached tracking devices to 6 turtles and is monitoring their patterns and destinations after they leave Sri Lanka. We believe that some species travel as far as the Arctic Circle.

After attaching a radio tracking device our team send the sea turtle on its journey. Injured turtles receive treatment in the bottom of an old tsunami boat.

Adoptsrilanka are about to purchase land in Rekewa and will be building a multi purpose facility including a visitors centre a research centre, a small café and shop for the promotion of  awareness of the plight of turtles and the regeneration of costal vegetation.

c) Providing livelihoods to local communities

By promoting the above projects we are generating incomes and businesses to the local communities as well as providing alternatives to the destruction of the coral reefs the endangered turtles and the culling of mangrove forests. Below are some human interest stories of local people’s lives that have been changed dramatically due to our tsunami assistance programme.

Sampath was an alcoholic boy with no future. Before the tsunami he was often fighting others, his marriage was suffering and he had no direction. TCP started the Kosgoda research project because Kosgoda is home to one of the world renowned beaches for the nesting of 5 of the 7 species of sea turtles. During a recruitment drive, Sampath was offered him a job collecting baseline data for research purposes. He began to bond with other researchers and became part of the team… Ten months later the tsunami hit Sri Lanka and in the immediate aftermath, ASL allocated funding for the reforestation projects on the affected coast line.

Sampath was selected by TCP to run one of Adoptsrilanka’s plant nurseries and along with another 7 boys from the villages he managed to replant 70,000 beach pines (Pandanus) and mangroves on the denuded coastline.

Sampath was paid for every sapling that was replanted. With the money he earned he managed to purchase a small truck. Along with the nursery business, he was now earning extra money from TCP by transporting the plants to the permanent planting sights.  These days he is doing very well indeed and the tsunami driven programme has changed his life.

Sampath proudly displaying some of his nursery plants funded by Adoptsrilanka

According to the laws in SL it is illegal to harm or kill turtles but SL is a third world developing country and most people live in survival mode, they depend on their surroundings and the available resources to feed their families.

In Rekewa and Kosgoda people where collecting eggs and killing turtles to feed their families, we realised that we needed to help change their focus.

We knew that just enforcing the law would not make much difference. So we introduced the poachers to an alternative livelihood and now these people who were once dependant on killing turtles and selling the eggs, have been given jobs as nest protectors on our protected beaches.

They have been educated on the conservation of turtles and these days they patrol the beaches 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Apart from protecting the nests, they also release the hatchlings back into the sea when the timing is right; for this they are paid a salary that is sufficient to live on.  It’s no longer necessary for them to harm the protected species. As a result they have been completely converted to environmental concerns and the awareness of conservation has been raised in the area. This will reflect in the younger generations as they pass their new knowledge and profession down.  The communities of Kosgoda and Rekewa are slowly understanding the turtle phenomenon and the community have now some awareness of the added employment benefits.

Sea Turtle egg nest at Kosgoda	Nest at Rekewa Beach

A batik project was developed with the wives of the nest protectors at Kosgoda community. Women play a vital role in family maintenance and very often like in the west, are expected to provide income as well as look after the family.. ASL created a programme by giving seed money and a rolling development fund where the women could get small loans to purchase materials and dye for the batik programme. The batik industry is also very favourable to the tourists and we have been encouraging women to incorporate the turtle theme to their designs in a two way promotion of Kosgoda. After the initial injection of financial assistance, they are now making some profits and with that money they are capable of batik production independently these days.

TCP also supply uniforms to the researchers and nest protectors so that they can promote the batiks as a symbol of our work.

	The nest protector’s wives with their new batik business

Rekewa near Tangalle, is very well known for its women divers that illegally dive for coral and from that, they produce lime which they sell. These women risk their lives daily by swimming 100 meters out to sea and then often dive to depths of twenty meters for the coral.

Our organisation wanted to re-educate the women but had to provide an alternative to the destruction of the coral reef. Once again we were mindful that the reason they risked their lives daily was purely due to financial needs and rather than report them to coastal conservation, we offered these women jobs and training in Batik production and gave them a small wage. Now these women are working on batiks and are earning their living without the need to risk their lives and the coral reefs.

In the Rekewa area some people were cutting the mangroves down and selling the wood. We approached these people and once again offered them an alternative, this time as tourist guides. TCP sought permission from the tourist board and with a small amount of effort and training they are now official guides and take the tourists around the conservation sights giving their new found knowledge about their the wildlife and vegetation heritage area to tourists. We have educated them on conservation and thus managed to stop the culling of mangroves but most importantly they have developed a great sense of pride for their local area.

Denuded Mangrove Forest	Adoptsrilanka Mangrove Saplings

Coastal Reforestation ASL Volunteers Report By Mat Roberts

Coastal Reforestation is a dirty, hot and wet job, but it gets you out of the office and someone has to do it. On Monday the 22nd of August Gary and I set off for Rekewa where we met Thushun and Mr Saman who are involved in the program. They showed us around the nurseries where they have 17,000 Mangrove plants and 35,000 beach vegetation shrubs growing in seven local backyards. We were eager to get to work and were told that at 9am on Wednesday morning there would be more than enough work to do.

 We arrived at Mr Gunawattee’s house on Wednesday and were led down to the lagoon where 700 Mangrove plants were waiting for planting. We proceeded to trudge around in knee high water for six hours digging holes in the sludge and trying to plant the Mangroves before the holes disappeared again. After a filling rice and curry lunch at the Turtle Conservation Project office we returned to the water where we were once again joined by the local workers, who were incredibly friendly and helpful despite the huge language barrier, and continued on what turned out to be a great day.

On Thursday morning we turned up again with bright red faces and covered in sun cream but we were sorely disappointed when we were led to a swamp and not the lagoon. We battled with the spiders, red ants, mosquitoes and many other tiny biting creatures to dig up the swamp and slowly but surely get through the quota for the day. We managed to get completely caked in mud and after a long shower at the end of the day we couldn’t wait to go back for more.

ASL volunteers Mat and Gary planting mangroves

Summary

The Reforestation and Turtles project employs over 200 people and there is a continuous training and education programme run by the directors to promote conservation through out Sri Lanka. Not only is the programme working toward reforestation and turtle conservation but it has a very strong social conscience.  Adoptsrilanka are always looking at alternative ways to change the heart and minds of the local traditions that harm conservation.

At the heart of the policy is “not to criticise the old methods but to understand why these people have played an active role in the destruction of wild life and vegetation conservation through ignorance and financial necessity”. By creating alternatives we are generating new business and spreading awareness and pride through local communities on the value of their environment.This message has attracted the attention of many supporters world wide:

The tsunami denuded the coast line to a catastrophic proportion with two waves of destruction. Third world developing countries such as Sri Lanka have relied on the protected species and vegetations to survive for centuries. With the endangered coastline and protection of turtles, TCP and ASL are encouraged with the success of our programme and seek funding to support our efforts in the future.

.Adoptsrilanka considers this project thoroughly deserving and we recommend this project for urgent funding to donate click here