Agricultural expansion is continued to be the primary threat for world’s forests. The Faculty of Agriculture at Rajarata University produces graduates who will work as future professionals and budding scientists in Agriculture and related disciplines. I believe that, students in this faculty should graduate with skills and attitudes required to be productive and engaged citizens. Therefore, as a teacher, I facilitate the learning process to achieve the main pillars in sustainable agriculture by teaching Forest Ecology as a supplement. In pursuit of this learning goal, firstly students should be able to comprehend basic ecological principles and applications, secondly to change their attitudes towards sustainable use of forest resources and finally, to propagate an interest in conservation of forest resources.
I encourage a two-way interactions in my lessons by using a variety of teaching aids such as mini presentations, small group discussions and narrated documentaries. Field classes are run for most of the groups to obtain hands-on experience. Quizzes, oral presentations, self directed studies are used to evaluate student performance. At higher level classes, I prefer to facilitate more in-class as well as out-of-class discussions. These approaches are expected to grasp advance theories and their applications for sustainable agriculture. Points to students include, think out-of-box and generate science-based solutions for problems in the agricultural sector.
Overall, I find teaching Forest Ecology to be a very rewarding experience; because I often learn things from students & field practitioners. Ultimately I can maintain my fashion to be a life-long learner.
Principles of Forestry - PS2103 – two course units (Undergraduate level) Plantation Forest Management – PS 4103 - two course units (Undergraduate level) Biodiversity and Wildlife Conservation – AS 3213 - two course units (Undergraduate level) Perennial Crop Production I and II – PS 2202 and PS 3202 – six course units (Undergraduate level)
Final year students majoring in Crop Production Technology of the Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka attended (2014, March) the first NIPM-RUSL collaborative program on Productivity and Quality Management in Plantation Industries at National Institute of Plantation Management, Athurugiriya, Sri Lanka
Final year students who followed Wildlife Conservation and Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka attended (2014, March) a study trip to Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka. They encountered a wild elephant, which was being captured to displace its free-range as a measure to control human-elephant conflict.