History of the IFS-Popham Arboretum, Dambulla

“Better without gold than without trees”

—Sam Popham, creator of the IFS-Popham Arboretum, Dambulla.
Dambulla Arboretum was established in 1963 by Mr. Sam Popham on 7.5 acres of land in Dambulla, the dry heartland of Sri Lanka. The property was at the time covered with scrub jungle which Mr. Popham described as being “…a wild disorderly undergrowth lording it over the north, east, and south-eastern parts of the island, a wilderness ‘useless and malarial, mile upon mile like a tired sea' ”.

This land and the plains of the north, east and south-east of the island were originally covered with Semi-Evergreen Forest. This tall forest was, too often, destroyed to make way for chena, shifting or slash and burn cultivation and other developmental activities. What springs up in the wake of chena cultivation is the scrub jungle.

After Sam Popham bought the land he enclosed it with the aim of clearing the scrub jungle and replacing it with trees, especially those native to the area. He soon found that the seedlings released spontaneously by his act of clearing away the scrub jungle, grew and prospered much more successfully than seedlings brought in from outside nurseries. The seedlings that had pre-existed the scrub jungle were built to cope with and conquer the harsh conditions of the dry zone. So started the unique experiment that is today the Arboretum. It became a trial in what happens when a piece of scrub jungle is fenced off and judiciously cleared and allowed to rejuvenate with minimal interference from humans. The Arboretum is also unique in that it is the only arboretum in the dry zone of the island.

The Popham Method

The method used by Popham to establish the arboretum was so special that it has come to be known as the Popham method. The method was influenced by his dislike of tampering with nature's ways. He “cleansed” parts of the property – that is to say he selectively cleared away the scrub jungle and thereby released seedlings of the earlier evergreen forest.

The Popham method is best described in the words of the man himself, who wrote “ I have egged Nature on to call the tune; I have left the trees to get on with the task. They cope very successfully on their own, and my help is needed for the most part only in their formative years. They grow where their seeds fell…During early growth they are encouraged, by stempruning and crown lifting…Last comes thinning-out ” – taken from Dambulla – A Sanctuary of Tropical Trees.

The property was divided into 12 blocks and these blocks were cleared at different times, which means that one can now see woodlands in different stages of growth. Some blocks have not been cleared at all and continue to be covered by the scrub jungle.

The rationale for the staggered clearing was that only an area which could be nurtured and protected from the exigencies of wind, drought, floods etc, by Popham and his team would be cleared at any one time.

Arboretum and Woodlands

The IFS-Popham Arboretum is made up of two distinct components, the Arboretum and the Woodlands. The Arboretum was established on a property 7.5 acres in extent in 1963. This land was covered in scrub jungle and Sam Popham began his experiment of reinstating the original dry zone forest soon after he acquired the property.

The Woodlands is 27 acres in extent and was acquired and added onto the property in 1989 after the Arboretum had been gifted to the IFS. At the time of acquisition the woodlands was a piece of land overused for cultivation. After 1989 Sam Popham divided the woodlands into different blocks and implemented the Popham method on these blocks at different stages. Thus the visitor walking through the woodlands will observe blocks at different stages of succession towards the original dry zone jungle. The Popham method of releasing seedlings by judiciously clearing scrub jungle and protecting the seedlings with stakes is still being undertaken in the woodlands. As you walk through the woodlands keep a watch out for young seedlings which have been released and staked out for protection. Another form of protection given to the young seedlings and the property as a whole is the careful establishment of firebreaks throughout the property. The fire gaps established by Sam Popham ran like a maze throughout the property and round the boundaries and are still maintained today to protect from the devastating fires which can spring up so easily in the driest months of the year.

Who is Sam Popham?

Sam Popham first came to Sri Lanka, then Ceylon, with the Royal Navy. He later became a tea planter in the 1940s. His abiding love for trees encouraged him to work on the Smithsonian Ceylon Flora Project. While engaged in this work he acquired the property at Dambulla and started to plant the land with Mango trees. This however did not prosper and he then decided to replace the scrub jungle with as many species of Sri Lankan native trees as he could find. So started the Arboretum. He lived on the land for 38 years firstly in a very basic cottage which is on the left of the entrance to the property.

He later moved into the cottage, designed for him by Geoffrey Bawa and which today serves as the Visitor Centre. He lived in this cottage for 28 years with the trees as his constant companions. His adopted family Setunga and his wife and two daughters lived close by and were constantly in and out of the property. Sam lived at the Arboretum until 2001, after which he went back to England to retire there.

The forests and trees of Sri Lanka's dry zone

The forest found in the dry zone is the semi-evergreen monsoon dry forest. It is so called because along with the evergreen species there are deciduous species that exist in this forest. These forests receive rain from one monsoon only, the northeast monsoon.

These forests are important for many reasons. They house a vast array of bio-diversity in plants and animals. Many of the trees and herbs endemic to these forests are of immense value for medicinal, building and other purposes. Many of the country's national parks are also found in the dry zone which houses a lot of wildlife. They thus have important economic potential.

Unfortunately widespread destruction of these forests has taken place since colonial times for a variety of reasons including building of reservoirs, settlements, logging, and illegal and unchecked harvesting of medicinal products.

Protecting the semi-evergreen monsoon dry forests and the trees that grow there is thus a very important task and the Arboretum has a role to play in this work. It is a haven for over 70 species of evergreen and deciduous trees.

Walking along the trails in the Arboretum you will see some of the finest trees of Sri Lanka's dry zone forests including the world's only true Ebony, Diospyros ebenum, the Arboretum's icon tree Satinwood or Buruta ( Chloroxylon swietenia ), Palu ( Manilkara hexandra ), Tamarind (Tamarindus indica ) and Helamba ( Mitragyna parvifolia ).

What you can see in the Arboretum and Woodlands.

Walking through the Arboretum and woodlands you will see many of the trees and shrubs for which Sri Lanka's dry zone is famous and which unfortunately are now rare in the wilds. The forest is made up of hardwood timber trees, trees and shrubs of medicinal value, fruiting and flowering trees and shrubs.

The hardwood timbers which have been the prize of the dry zone forest through the years have also been its downfall and have resulted in the decimation of these forests for their timber. Here in the Arboretum the Ebony ( Diospyros ebenum ), Satinwood (Chloroxylon swietenia) and Palu (Manilkara hexandra) 3 of the best known timber trees are abundant even though they are now rare in the wilds. Other trees that yield valuable timber are also found here and include Milla (Vitex altissima ), Halmilla (Berrya cordifolia ), Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) and Ceylon Oak (Schleichera oleosa ).

The Neem ( Azadirachta indica ), Goda Kaduru ( Strychnos nux vomica ) and Weliwenna ( Dimorphocalyx glabellus ) are some of the trees of medicinal value found in these grounds. It is often difficult to classify these trees and shrubs into one category such as medicinal plants since often the plants have multiple uses. Bauhinia tomentosa commonly known as Kaha Petan is widely used as an ornamental plant because of its attractive yellow flowers with a purple blotch at the base. However the whole plant has medicinal value. The root bark for example is used in treating hepatitis. Another plant of great beauty and renowned for its ornamental value is the Bonfire Tree which comes ablaze during the months of June and July.

The Heen karamba ( Carissa spinarum ) is a shrub found typically in undergrowth in secondary forest in the dry zone and is another good example of a plant with multiple uses. It has jasmine like white flowers, edible fruits and the oil extracted from the leaves is used for wounds and for relieving skin irritations such as itchiness. A fence made from the branches of this shrub are said to be a deterrent even to an elephant.

The trees and shrubs described above provide the habitat necessary for many species of mammals, birds, butterflies, reptiles and amphibians to flourish in the Arboretum. As you walk quietly through the forest keep your eyes peeled to catch a glimpse of a mouse deer tiptoeing through the trees; or a giant squirrel asleep in a tree above you; or toque monkeys frolicking all around. If you're lucky you might even see an elephant walking majestically through the forest.

The Arboretum is home to many bird species and also provides a good stop over point for many birds residing in nearby forests and tanks. The endemic Jungle Fowl and Grey Hornbill can be seen here regularly as can the Brown headed Barbet, White browed Bulbul and the Blue tailed Bee eater. Keep your ears to hear the song of the White rumped Shama, the songster of the Sri Lankan jungles.

There are many reptiles at the Arboretum, some harmful, some not, so tread carefully and be ever watchful. The Green vine snake ( Ahaetulla nasutas ), Common bronze back ( Dendrelaphis pristis ), Rat snake ( Pytas mucosus ), Green lizard ( Calotes calotes ) and the Garden lizard (Calotes versicolor ) are some of the harmless reptiles you will see around. The Cobra ( Naja naja ), Russell's Viper ( Vipera russelli ) and the Indian Rock Python ( Python molurus ) are the harmful ones.

On going development work at the Arboretum

Since the management of the Arboretum has been handed over to Ruk Rakaganno in May 2005 more walking trails have been established and have been colour coded for easy reference. Trees throughout the property have been labeled with scientific, common, Sinhala and Tamil names.

Guides have been employed and trained so that visitors can be accompanied on their walk through the Arboretum. The guides employed include young people from the surrounding areas so that some benefit from the Arboretum flows directly to the community.

A visitor centre has been set up in the cottage built by Mr. Sam Popham and interesting and informative displays are being developed. These include seed collections and leaf and timber displays. Ruk Rakaganno is making use of the Arboretum for research purposes. Currently all the shrubs in the property are being classified by the resident botanist. Other research proposals are being developed by Ruk Rakaganno in conjunction with the IFS. The possibility of conducting research into seed germination rates and propagation methods for various dry zone species is being investigated. This research has not been done for many of these species and is vital for their continued protection and propagation.

Ritigala - mountain of mystery and mist

Ritigala is the highest mountain, in the north-central plain of Sri Lanka, measuring 2,513 feet above sea level. It is situated close to Kekirawa and Maradankadawala on one side and Habarana on the other, and can be seen clearly from the Dambulla-Anuradhapura road. The mountain mass is about three miles long and about two miles wide at its widest point; it is covered with dense jungle inhabited by wild elephants, leopards and bears. It is the watershed of the Malwatu Oya which feeds the Nachaduwa tank and Kalueba Ela which feeds Huruluwewa. The upper part of the mountain is well known for its flora, some of which are rare; it has also a range of wild orchids.

The mountain has over 70 known caves which have been used as dwellings by the early inhabitants of the country and subsequently as monasteries by Buddhist monks but there are no paintings in them. It has a long history and is referred to as "arittha-pabbata" in the Mahavamsa, the great historical chronicle which records that Pandukabhaya, the third king of Sri Lanka (377-307 BC) sojourned in the mountain for seven years preparing for the wars to capture the kingdom. The early inhabitants of Ritigala referred to as "yakkas" joined Pandukabhaya’s cause and fought in his many battles. Ritigala appears to have been also used by King Dutugemunu (101-72 BC) and by King Jetthatissa in the 7th century in their wars against the Indian Invaders. There are rock inscriptions which indicate that gradually, Ritigala had become a monastic retreat for hermit (Pamsukulika) monks and a place of religious significance. By the 10th-12th century AD however Ritigala seems to have been abandoned by the hermit monks and soon it was covered by jungle and forgotten.

In the last quarter of the nineteenth century when the country was a British colony, the then Government Agent of Anuradhapura had constructed a holiday bungalow and cut a bridle path to it at Ritigala about 500 feet below the summit, in order to provide a cooler and healthier place of rest to those working in the hot, dry and malaria-infested plains. However, this bungalow does not appear to have been used and when a subsequent Government Agent of Anuradhapura climbed the mountain in 1904 it was in ruins. Ritigala was forgotten for a good part of the twentieth century except for occasional visitors who went to see the ruins.

Then in 1971 it came Into prominence when the insurgents made it one of their strongholds in the insurrection of that year until they were flushed out by the army. Wild life in the mountain was under threat a few years back but I am not sure of the situation today. I still remember a trader in Maradankadawala having dried leopard and bear skins for sale; he had bought them from villagers around Ritigala, who hid killed them by using poisoned (follidol) bait. The jungle hid many of Ritigala’s secrets and it remains a mountain shrouded in mystery and venerated by the people.

Ritigala is indescribable; there are no words in which to express the feelings and emotions that come over you when you even see the mountain from the road while approaching it - but that is only if you are a fan of Pandukhabaya, the prince of destiny who went on to found the city of Anuradhapura and become its first king.

Pandukhabaya sojourned four years on Dimbulagala, getting together an army to fight the wrath of his ten maternal uncles, except one, Anuradha who were out for the young prince's blood, as a soothsayer had predicted at his birth. His mother, the legendary Ummadacitta, managed to smuggle the infant away and give him to a cowherd in Dvaramandaka in exchange for his child.

Pandukhabaya roamed the foothills of Mihintale until the uncles made themselves felt. The prince even had to hide in the waters of the Mahagantota ford where he was protected by a white horse, as the story goes. But back to Ritigala, mountain of mystery and mist which is said to have the rarest medicinal herbs and plants from the Himalayas on its summit. It is said that the plants were scattered on Ritigala by Rama when he was flying to the South of ancient Lanka from the Himalayas.

Although it is the Mihintale area and Anuradhapura that is most popularly connected with Pandukhabaya, to remember Ritigala at Poson would not be far fetched because it was the home of the prince and his men for four years.

The early afternoon sun glinting through the jungle trees dappled the narrow pathway leading to the vehicle-parking lot. On the way, our excellent tour guide gave the tourists in the coach - it was a domestic tour - a graphic commentary on the mountain and its history. He also gave out a warning that no visitor to Ritigala was ever to take back even a grain of sand from it.

When this writer's fragile chain bracelet was caught in the bracken when we were descending, and dropped to the ground,I asked the guide whether it was in order to pick it up. His answer was quick and positive: 'It belongs to you. You have every right to pick it up.' Which I did. Later I wondered whether I should have dropped it into the square pond where, legend has it, a leech lives, all the while disgorging gold into the water.

Local tourist vehicles festooned with various medicinal plants kept arriving. The plants tied to various parts of the vehicles were to ward off any strong influences that might emanate from the mountain which is surrounded by mystery and enveloped in various legends relating to Ritigala's powers that have been coming down for thousands of years.