A load of ‘Seed bombs’ were dropped on the Wattegama Kebilitta Government forest reserve in Siyambalanduwa during this week (Oct 05 & 06).
According to the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), a total of 75,000 seed bombs were dropped over an approximately 495-acre area of the forest reserve under the fifth wave of the SLAF.
The Forest Conservation Department and Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Peradeniya organized the mission.
These seed bombs were dropped to coincide with the monsoon season which will increase germination and rooting of the seedlings.
The mission which aims at improving the forest density of Sri Lanka in order to reach the sustainable development goals of the country by increasing the forest cover from 27% to 32% by the year 2030 has seen thousands of seed bombs containing seeds of valuable trees being dropped over a number of forest reserves including the Ranorawa government forest and Lahugala National Park, the SLAF further said.
The seed bombs contain seeds of valuable native trees such as Kon (Schleichera oleosa), Kohomba (Azadirachta indica), Maila (Bauhinia racemose), Ma Dan (Syzygium cumini), Siyambala (Tamarindus indica), Mee (Madhuca longifolia), Palu (Manilkara hexandra), Kumbuk (Terminalia arjuna), Weera (Drypetes sepiaria), Bulu (Terminalia belerica), Kithul (Caryota urens), Munamal (Mimusops elengi), Aralu (Oroxylum indicum), Domba (Calophyllum inophyllum) and Ketakala (Bridilia retusa).
An Air Force MI-17 helicopter had been utilized for the mission it says. (NewsWire)
