In the Gardens of the Palace of Versailles, near Paris, in France, there are white biomats. I had never seen these white squares around new tree seedlings before.
The biomats are thin mulch mats, measuring 50 square centimetres (20 square inches) and are 5 millimetres thick.
The material is pressed organic, biodegradable jute or wool. The biomats come on a roll, and each mat has a slit in the centre so that the mat can be placed over a single tree seedling. The mat can be secured onto the ground, if necessary, with pegs or by placing stones on them.
The biomats degrade naturally within about two years.
The biomats let rain and moisture through to the soil, retaining moisture, while suppressing weeds and pests.
Photographed in the Palace of Versailles, France, February 2022.
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
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