Assessment of one-year mangrove reforestation using Rhizophora apiculata seedlings in Lubuk Kertang village, North Sumatra

Abstract

Mangrove forests in North Sumatera existed in the east coast of Sumatera Island and are rapidly degraded due to anthropogenic activities such as mangrove conversion to other land-uses. The present study describes one-year assessment on mangrove rehabilitation in Lubuk Kertang village, Langkat, North Sumatra, Indonesia. The restoration was carried on May 2016 using indirect planting of 6,000 Rhizophora apiculata seedlings. R. apiculata belongs to Rhizophoraceace family with hardwoods, have good stilt roots that can survive in mud substrate. The assessment was carried out in 4 plots with each plot consist of 100 plants. The evaluation parameters of mangrove reforestation comprise of seedling growth rate, diameter and height, leaf thickness and some leaves. Results show that the growth rate for first-year assessment was 92.3 % considered successful because of the average percent growth of plants ≥ 70 %. By contrast, the height, diameter, and a number of leaves seedlings planting were shown variation performance of among the plots observed. Our present study suggested that success factors in the rehabilitation of mangrove affected by salinity, substrate conditions, pests and diseases and human activities on the rehabilitation site.