green diamonds:
what you are supporting
One Sky and CSSL have an established presence in Koidu, Kono where we have just begun a two-year project funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and private donations. One component of our project is to restore alluvial diamond mining sites predominantly into agriculture land. By using local expertise, we are in the process of identifying a high profile mined area that has important biological value in terms of its proximity to streams, drinking water, forest ecosystems or habitat as well as sociological factors including cultural significance, tenure, profile and current use.
Promoting organic agricultural practices on existing land and restored mining grounds will not only rehabilitate the lowland areas it will limit incursions into forested areas and protect local biodiversity and endemic species. In addition it will protect important freshwater and groundwater sources by stabilizing the riparian hydrology and reducing erosion and the siltation of local streams. We have spoken with the local government authorities and paramount chiefs and they are strongly in support of this project. The restoration is expected to get underway in March 2007 during the dry season. Hydrology and engineer experts will be contracted to ensure proper design of restoration. The restoration will be completed by local community members and CSSL staff.
From other examples of mining restoration of topsoil in West Africa and
Sierra Leone itself, experience indicates there will be crops produced
within 12 months of soil restoration. Our main objective for the first
site is to restore an old diamond mining site to demonstrate that it can
be turned into viable agriculture land and transform the mining pools
from malaria infested mosquito breeding grounds to their natural state
of hydrology. Depending on level of “green diamond” support,
we will hopefully expand the program and restore multiple sites.
By buying a green diamond, we guarantee that 100% of your funds will be
used for alluvial diamond mining restoration in Kono, Sierra Leone.
The more support we get, the more land we will be able to restore to improve sustainable livelihoods of local community members.
Positive potential impacts:
- malarial breeding grounds get filled or reverted to natural or near natural stream hydrology
- soil runoff and leachate from exposed mineral soils is mitigated. Topsoil and humous layer maintained or restored
- upper layer and mid layer soil horizons and geophysical hydrology/water flows restored
- agriculture seen as a sustainable livelihood
- food security improved in the immediate area
- the protection of nearby forest habitat and biodiversity through reclaiming degraded lands and avoiding expansion into forested hillsides
- greater environmental awareness
- community engagement in land protection and land use
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Copyright One Sky
2006 |
