With such an ambitious goal in mind, they explored the concept of aerial reforestation, or “seed bombing” as a method of restoring forests in lands unreachable by road networks, and covering larger areas of land faster than manual reforestation. These “seed balls” are made by placing seeds in a potting mix that functions as the growth medium, and seeds are dispersed aerially. To initiate the project, they reached out to the University of Peradeniya’s Agriculture Faculty, as they had been carrying out years of research into the aerial reforestation method. They also collaborated with the Forest Department, who supported them to identify the land for our reforestation efforts and to source the seeds through their network of field officers. Brunch spoke to MAS Holdings Director – Environmental Sustainability Sharika Senanayake to find out if the initial project carried out in December 2018 at the Ranorawa Forest Reserve was successful.

Source: The Nation June 15, 2021 22:30 UTC