Jetwing paints Hunas Falls green!

by Nilma DOLE

Hunasgiriya is now a place that resonates with a feeling of calmness and solitude because the mother nature has been well protected. A place for newly-weds, Hunas Falls Hotel compound is a place where one can plant a tree and trust that it will be nurtured like a child. Jetwing, an associate company of Hayleys celebrating one year of the launch of their JEEP (Jetwing Eternal Earth Project), has shown that the tree - but also achieve peace of mind.

A simple ceremony was held in the presence of Sri Lanka Tourism Chairman, Bernard Gunatilleke who was chief guest. Environment activist and veteran actress, Iranganie Serasinghe who is also the Patron of the project, said, “We should know what is going around the world and make sure our children do not suffer for our omissions and commissions”. She added, “I am glad that this project will help steer education in environment in the right direction so that we will have hope for the future”. Rajiv Sebastian, an honorary Brand Ambassador of the project produced an `earth song’ together with Nirosha Virajini and sang it along with children of schools who were involved in the project. The earth teams of Jetwing Hotels have also been instrumental in doing their jobs to mitigate global warming.

Renton de Alwis, former chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism said that it was good to see that this project has achieved success, because the tree that he had planted was still there and growing. “I am happy to be involved even more in the Earth Lung project to make Sri Lanka, a great green destination because we should think about climate change before time runs out” he said.

The message from Nobel Peace prize winner and Vice Chairman of

Inter-governmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) Prof. Mohan

Munasinghe was, “There are many social benefits in planting trees because it provides employment for the local community. Research has shown that compared to people in places without trees, people in buildings with trees enjoyed better relations with neighbours and reduces violence. Trees send a message of care, quality, and welcome, and can give a district a distinct character that customers like.”

The other patron of the project, the skipper of the Sri Lanka cricket team Mahela Jayawardena said, “We all have to contribute to this change. Only by working together can we protect our future and our beloved motherland Sri Lanka. Remember that today’s children are tomorrow’s leaders — you have the power to change our world for the better.”

After one year, Jetwing has found out that by creating a model re-forestation project, it had been successful because it was easy to replicate this method in many climatic zones even in a small space. The Jetwing team did as much as they could to get tourists to plant trees to offset carbon emissions by way of ‘travel guilt’. Hence, this project proved to be a mighty success because even barren land could be cultivated to the optimum as shows by the hundred odd acres of land adjoining the hotel, with approximately 8 acres that has been planted with around 1,200 trees grown under analogue forestry and a forest garden technique.

By way of education and awareness, the main purpose of the project is to enlighten the schoolchild that having a ‘green thumb’ is not only

beneficial now but also vital in the long run. The special ‘Earth Centre’ with assistance from the Earth Team is on duty to help children should they need some guidelines and a special website or ‘Web Forest’ at www.eternalearth.net also offers clients the ability to make investments towards this worthy cause. The community has also been involved in the project and is now easier to make the hotel a earth-friendly building.

Said Hiran Cooray, the Deputy Chairman of Jetwing, “We have elevated the project to another level by making sure we adhere to sustainable practices because we are mindful of the environment”. Developments are already under way to introduce a wood gasifier and a mini-hydro power project at the Hunas Falls Hotel. The gasifier will burn Gliricedia sepium fuelwood in an enclosed chamber, an environment friendly process, to produce hot water for the use of guests. Planting Gliricedia is already taking place in the JEEP forest that also enriches the infertile soil with nitrogen. The hydropower generation from the free flowing water from Hunas Falls will supplement the power requirements of the hotel. Jetwing has the best interests in Mother Nature and they hope that others will follow suit.