Stars and STEM Stories
Teachers, Trees and Trainings in Sri Lanka
Between 2-3 October 2016, GLOBE Sri Lanka held a teacher training for the teachers of the 12th GLOBE teacher group at the National Institute for Education (Maharagama, Colombo, Sri Lanka). During the two-day training, teachers were instructed in the biosphere protocol.
“All of the teachers -- this group consists of 32 teachers -- participated with interest,” said GLOBE Sri Lanka Country Coordinator W.M.T. Senarathne.
For a period of more than five years, field training data has been collected from a garden at Aurweda (Traditional Medicine) Hospital in Sri Lanka. This garden consists of a mixture of trees with various medical importance. Tree species there produce good canopy as a closed forest.
In recent years, the canopy has maintained a stable value of over 60% tree cover (81%). During the training, teachers found that ground cover was dominated by graminoids (grasses) and forbs (herbaceous flowering plants) (30% each), giving an overall coverage statistic of 82%.
Teachers classified the site as a non-forest or woodland – a MUC Class 824 (cultivated land, other non-agriculture).
“This same result should show for rubber plantations, etc., since they also produce closed-tree canopies over ground. This enhances the micro climate,” added Senarathne.
All teachers attending the training were asked to take canopy data from where they live in order to study land cover in agriculture-related crop fields. Collaborative studies/projects (nationally or internationally) were encouraged to increase data sharing and global understanding.
This session was conducted with the participation of Dr. Desh Bandu, Regional Coordinator for GLOBE Asia and Pacific, who brought and distributed instruments (clinometers and denciometers) for the participants.
Star submitted by GLOBE Sri Lanka Country Coordinator W.M.T. Senarathne.