Muscat – The Al Saleel Nature Reserve Centre in South Sharqiyah has successfully propagated a ghaf tree using air layering technique for the first time, marking a step forward in efforts to conserve Oman’s native plant species and strengthen environmental rehabilitation programmes.

The achievement builds on the centre’s earlier success in propagating other native species, including arak, sidr, dhubr, frankincense and atit, using the same method.

Khaled bin Wani Al Sarhani, Environmental Control Technician at the Al Saleel Nature Reserve Centre, said the idea emerged during routine tree monitoring and pruning, when staff sought to make productive use of branches that were cut off instead of discarding them.

The process involves removing part of a branch’s bark, applying rooting hormone and a rooting medium, then enclosing it in a moisture-retaining cover to encourage root development. After around 40 days, the rooted branch can be separated from the parent tree and planted as an independent seedling.

Al Sarhani said the success of the experiment opens new opportunities to expand propagation programmes for environmentally important native trees, supporting biodiversity conservation and vegetation restoration in line with the Environment Authority’s sustainability objectives.