How Rainforest Communities Are Addressing Reforestation Waste
With hundreds of hectares reforested to date, each nursery Health In Harmony supports contains native, non-invasive seedlings utilized in agroforestry and reforestation programs.
A constant challenge of nurseries, however, is the plastic waste produced by nursery bags, which are generally plastic polybags that cannot be recycled after use, as the plastic itself has to be torn while planting. Plastic never fully decomposes, and even as it breaks down, it can take hundreds of years for the “decomposition” to occur, all while generating hazardous microplastics. Plastic waste also contributes significantly to climate change, accounting for 4.5% of all greenhouse emissions. For a future dependent on planetary health, harmful pollutants such as plastic must be addressed at all levels, including reforestation.
A sustainable solution
To address this issue, Health In Harmony worked with communities in an initiative to reduce waste as well as support local livelihoods in a sustainable way. One of Health In Harmony’s partners in Indonesia, a women’s association, began producing biodegradable “polybags” made of bamboo; with this, local nurseries were able to maintain their programs more sustainably while offering benefits to the local community’s farmers and artisans, particularly women.
Given the success of the initiative in Indonesia, Health In Harmony extended the program to nurseries in Madagascar’s Ikongo and Manombo. Still working with communities, Health In Harmony’s nursery staff began to purchase eco polybags made of banana fibers, bamboo, and local sedges (“harefo”). Health In Harmony’s conservation program consultant, Mahardika Putra Purba, says that data also shows that the biodegradable bags start decomposing early: “10% of bags made out of banana fibers began to decompose within one month, with 3% of these breaking by the second month.”
Since the idea was implemented in Madagascar in 2023, approximately 21,500 seedling bags have been produced by communities—primarily women—greatly reducing the amount of plastic waste in the environment. Communities appreciate the eco-polybag for its contributions to reforestation by simplifying planting, retaining water, and serving as fertilizer, while also enabling non-cash trade for medicine and health services:
“For me, Health In Harmony activities are great, especially the agricultural one because it allows me to learn and adopt the right farming techniques. Health In Harmony also contributes to mine and my family’s health. In my case, I always use eco-polybags to pay my [healthcare] bills.”
As Health In Harmony works with communities on developing sustainable ways to approach reforestation, the clear advantages to people mean artisans in Ikongo and Manombo are eager to increase production and see its benefits applied to a wider area, showing once again that community-led climate solutions can lead us to a stable climate. Better for people, better for the planet.