Research & Projects

Our Goals, Approach, and Methods

Our goals are to enhance climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, water, and food security through land rehabilitation. We initiated our research in the 1980’s on a small tea estate in the Uva Basin focusing on inventories of native species of flora and fauna in surrounding remnant forests, gathering seed and developing propagation techniques for native trees, and regenerative agriculture practices.  We carried out survey research with villagers to identify species composition, structure and management approaches in village home and forest gardens. We also initiated a variety of comparative studies of biodiversity in native forests, plantation forests and village forest gardens. The theoretical synthesis of our learning was the analog forestry approach.  By the mid 1990’s we began to work with farmers in various locations to apply the knowledge we had gained.  Some of this work is described in the projects section on this page. 

Our research is applied, focusing on watershed rehabilitation at the landscape and individual land holding scale.  Rather than going into villages with answers in hand, we meet with farmers/landowners to identify household issues, discuss their aspirations for their land, and how they could benefit by adopting regenerative methods of land management. In each community we develop demonstration models with farmers/landowners who are keen to invest their energy in land rehabilitation. These demonstration models give an understanding of what can achieved across time when land rehabilitation is successful. Consequently, when neighboring farmers see the transformation in the demonstration model, they also seek to participate in land rehabilitation.  This approach based on voluntary participation and mutual respect increases the pace and sustainability of our rehabilitation efforts as demonstrated in several communities across diverse agro-ecological zones in Sri Lanka. 

We align the land rehabilitation process in a farmer’s landholding with the phases of seral succession in forest development, Fig. 1. A farmer’s landholding is comprised of several different land uses in varying stages of ecological maturity. The ecological maturity of each land use determines the design for rehabilitation and methods used including regenerative agriculture, analog and conservation forestry, and bioremediation. 

REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE

To begin with, farmers may have poor soil, high light conditions and no vegetation other than grasses and weeds. We work with them to engage in regenerative agriculture by planting annual (e.g., paddy, vegetables, green leafy vegetables, and cash crops such as maize) and semi perennial crops (e.g., pineapple, purple yam) for their subsistence, and income generation. Soil conservation (e.g., contour drains if sloping land, hedgerows, mulching) and water management (small ponds, and canals) are foundation steps, and increasing soil fertility through the use of biological inputs (e.g., compost, biochar) is key. Regenerative agriculture ensures the rapid turnover of short-term income where risk is low owing to high crop diversity. Food and nutrition security is ensured because crop harvests occur through the year.

ANALOG FORESTRY

At the same time, farmers/landowners may convert other areas of their landholding to tree-dominated agriculture or forest gardens using analog forestry (Fig.1). This method of land rehabilitation combines data from the nearest climax or sub climax natural forest with farmers’ traditional knowledge to develop a multi strata, species rich, forest garden. Data gathered on the species composition, architectural structure, and ecological function of the native forest provides the matrix for the landscape design of the forest garden. Here, marketable species that are analogous to species from the natural forest: are planted in the same niches, provide the similar ecological functions, and also generate income and other benefits.  For example, in NSRC’s Lemastota forest garden located in the lower montane, Intermediate zone (2500mm) in Sri Lanka, shade tolerant ginger (Zingiber officinale) is cultivated as a ground cover instead of the several Zingiber species found here. Cinnamon (Cinnamon verum) replaces Neolitsea fuscata in the lower, small tree layer since both are small trees from the Lauraceae family. Similarly, clove (Syzigium aromaticum) is used in the overstory instead of the native Syzigium assimile while the native Michaelia champaca with high timber value emerges above the canopy of the forest garden. Black pepper (Piper nigrum) that is a lucrative crop replaces the wild pepper vine found in the natural forest in this location. By combining multiple layers of diverse long-term, perennial crops in space, forest gardens efficiently return investments made in the land. They ensure food security across time because different trees are harvested at different times. For example, a jak tree will produce fruit for 40 years while a coconut tree remains productive for over 60 years. Moreover, a high diversity of crop and native tree species creates habitat for biodiversity, enhances hydrological potential (increased leaf litter increases soil moisture, improves percolation into ground water, and base flow), increases economic productivity, and ensures climate resilience.

CONSERVATION FORESTRY

Areas of the landholding that border natural forests with streams running through them or wetland areas need to be landscaped using conservation forestry. By using native species, we extend the reach of the natural forest, thereby creating corridors for biodiversity movements across the landscape mosaic of the watershed.

BIOREMEDIATION

While vegetation establishment in areas under analog and conservation forestry will improve ground water potential, the root mat created by native species of trees, shrubs and others densely planted around wells and in the riparian zone of streams will stabilise the banks, reduce erosion, filter pollutants, provide habitat for aquatic biodiversity and significantly improve water quality. 

IMPLEMENTATION

In each method a similar process is applied: 

  • The watershed is mapped including all components of its landscape mosaic including remnants natural forests, degraded common lands, streams, and riparian areas making possible catchment basin planning. 
  • Inventories are made of existing vegetation including native flora and fauna at each contour if this is a mountainous area. 
  • Natural forests are surveyed with respect to their vegetation structure, composition, and the ecological functions they provide.
  • Individual farms are mapped to include their physical characteristics, vegetation and biodiversity observed in distinct land use areas. This enables an assessment of their ecological maturity,
  • A landscape design is created in collaboration with farmers/landowners for each land use area requiring rehabilitation. Annual and perennial crops are used in production areas of the landholding while native species are used as fencing, in riparian and buffer zones. 
  • Nurseries are established to propagate planting materials. 
  • Planting is carried out with farmers during the rainy season

Once a project is initiated, NSRC facilitators live in villages working daily with farmers until management techniques are mastered.  Trained to create and manage nurseries, design watershed rehabilitation, and teach organic farming methods, the facilitators also aid farmers in keeping records of yields, inputs, and sales, thus increasing farmers’ understanding of improvements in incomes and ensuring that the management methods serve them. 

While household food security and environmental resilience are first priorities, developing market opportunities for high value crops is an integral part of the NSRC extension outreach.