To Dambulla and Back

Most people would not travel four hours both ways in one day to see a small arboretum, but I'm not most people. Besides, could you even imagine Sewalanka giving me a vehicle for two days! That would just be too nice.So I'm enforcing a monthly field trip for the e-team. And I'm the only one who calls them the e-team, in case you were wondering.
I think professional growth opportunities are really important and I don't see why we should only provide them when there is a conference in another country. There are a lot of really interesting environmental things happening in this country right now. So once a month I'm getting a vehicle (yes I am) and taking them somewhere.
This month's trip was to the Dambulla Popham Arboretum. Not in the guidebooks, this wonderful place was reforested without planting. Well, Mr. Popham did plant in the beginning, but then learned from his failure and just started letting the forest take over. It required a lot of work keeping the thorn bushes in check (dry zone invasive), but more than 50 years later there is a very impressive, diverse, forest to note his success.We have a project in the Knuckles range where were are supposed to reforest this monk's land (are monk's allowed to own land?). I'm trying to get everyone on this no planting kick, but since everyone on my team has an agricultural degree, it is really hard to convince them that planting isn't necessary. Still, I think they were impressed with the arboretum. They said they enjoyed the trip.
I'm sure I won't get as many positive comments when I make them go camping!

Oh, I saw my first cobra -- he is an exhibit at the office, but the guide brought him out for us to play with him. My coworkers were not amused.