Substitution of Plastics with Organic Pots in Tree Seedlings Production for Sustainable Environmental Conservation

Abstract

The Mau Forest Complex, Kenya is the main water tower in the Rift Valley which has undergone extensive degradation and is in dire need of reforestation to avert desertification. Use of plastics in tree seedling production has contributed to environmental pollution, as these plastics are non-biodegradable, clog waterways, and poison livestock and wild animals. Moreover, in 2017, Kenya banned the use of single-use polythene bags and also outlawed manufacturing, sale as well as the distribution of polythene bags according to section 3 and 86 of the Environmental Management and Coordination Act (EMCACap 387). There is, therefore, need to identify alternatives to the plastics, which are degradable and environmental friendly. A study was done in the Mau Forest Complex with the aim of investigating if biodegradable seedling pots can be used as substitute for polythene tubes in tree seedling production as well as to determine the tree species that could rapidly form a denser canopy for use in reforestation. This study hypothesized that biodegradable containers (fibre baskets and bamboo tubes) could promote better growth of tree seedlings and offer more environmental-friendly benefits in comparison to the extensively utilized polythene containers. Seedlings of three tree species (Hagenia abyssinica, Juniperus procera and Olea europea subsp. africana) were planted in fibre baskets, bamboo tubes and polythene pots (control) in Gatimu and Mwisho wa Lami regions of the Mau Forest Complex, to determine their growth rate. A completely randomized design with six replicates was used and the results analyzed using SAS package software version 9. Fibre baskets gave the highest plant height (106.7 cm) with H. abyssinica in Gatimu while bamboo tubes (94.7cm) and polythene pots (88.3cm) did not show a significant difference at p = 0.05 level. Olea europea subsp. africana generally demonstrated higher growth rate with all pots applied as treatments (fibre basket, bamboo tubes and polythene pots) than J. procera in Mwisho wa Lami. Fibre basket treatment gave the highest height and number of branches for the two plant species, (O. europea subsp. africana and J. procera) while bamboo tubes and the control treatments did not have any significant differences at p = 0.05. In this study, it was found that seedling bags made from plant fibres could be adopted in tree seedling propagation to replace the synthetic plastics for sustainable environmental conservation. Hagenia abysinica also is recommended for reforestation as it formed a quick dense canopy.