Erosion is any horticulturist’s worst nightmare.
From the process of replanting and restoration, to the loss of the most fertile
soil, i.e. the topsoil, erosion can have damaging effects on any cultivation.
Although erosion is mainly associated with water erosion, wind erosion and tillage
are another two forms of erosion.
So what are the signs that can help identify
erosion early on? Below are a few of the factors that affect soil erosion;
- The structure and texture of the soil will determine the erodibility of the soil, i.e. the ability of the soil to resist erosion
- The intensity and duration of rainfall will affect the rate of erosion
- A steeper and long slope of a field will increase the chances of erosion
- The roughness of the soil’s surface will affect the resistance of soil against wind erosion
- A lack of windbreaks or unsheltered distances will increase abrasion and erosion
- The speed and depth of tillage, i.e. a deep tillage, will disturb the soil
However, soil erosion can be controlled. Erosion
control is the
practice of preventing or controlling wind or water erosion in agriculture,
land development and construction. For this, many methods have been introduced
over the years, such as reforestation, no-till farming, contour ploughing,
terracing, and windbreaks, while in the recent past horticulturists and
agriculturists have adopted the practice of using man-made erosion control
products.
At CoirGreen™, we know the benefit horticulturists,
environmental engineers and agriculturists receive when they use erosion
control products. As such, in an effort to promote eco-friendly practices in erosion
control methods, we produce and supply 100% natural and biodegradable erosion control
products which are made out of coir fibers. Geotextile (coir netting), coirlog (waterlogs/biologs), coir pallet (coir pillow),
and jute geotextile are the green solutions provided by CoirGreen to control
soil erosion.
Each of these products assists in reducing soil
erosion.
Geotextiles or coir netting produced using coir
fibers have the ability to separate, filter, reinforce, protect or drain
any water to reduce soil
erosion reduces, while holding the soil together. It is mainly used for
bioengineering and stabilisation of slopes that have low erodibility. Geotextiles
permeate the flow of water in and out from it, therefore allowing the necessary
amount of water to reach the soil to maintain its fertility. It has been
produced to last for 3-5 years, thereafter the degradation process takes place
and transforms it into hummus, which enriches the soil, thereby reducing any time
and cost that would have been spent for the removal of it. Apart from its use
for soil stabilisation, geotextiles are also used for stream/river bank
protection, shoreline stabilisation, storm water channels, filtration in road
drains and land reclamation, highway cut and filled slopes etc.
Coirlogs (waterlogs/biologs, coco logs) are made
out of rolled coir fibers ranging from 7 – 9kg per linear meter whose cylindrical shape is reinforced
using coir netting. The diameter of the log ranges from 20cm-50cm with 2
or 4 meter length for the cylindrical logs. The coir logs are generally used for hills, banks, shorelines, and
other erosion prone areas, as it is able to control erosion due to its ability
to reduce the velocity of water and the movement of sediment. The coir acts as
mulch on the surface and as a wick in the soil mantle. When coir logs are
placed it protects the plants from being affected by erosion, until they are
fully grown and are capable of stabilising the soil through their growth. And
once the plants take over the stabilisation, the logs will degrade and enrich
the soil as humus as the logs are 100% natural and biodegradable.
Coir pallets are used to establish marginal
vegetation around rivers, lakes and canals, especially those that are
artificially lined as it can be used as an alternative for hard revetments. The
high lignin content of the coir helps the pallets to cope with water that is
coming at a high velocity, thereby protecting the vegetation against water
erosion. These coir pallets are versatile as they can be used to grow any mix
of wetland plants, and also be used to control wind erosion. Coir pallets are
also used for mulching, vegetative water channels, and as a natural solution
for scour protection.
CoirGreen offers two types of jute products,
they are, jute geotextile and hessian. These are ideal to protect the soil from
wind erosion. These products stop the top soil from being blown away, however its
porous texture enables water to reach the plants that are trying to establish
themselves on a steep slope. Hessian is a plain cloth made wholly out of jute
with a single wrap and weft interwoven, while jute geo textile is woven using
high quality jute.
If you are interested in adopting one of these
products to your agricultural activities contact CoirGreen on marketing AT coirgreen DOT com and we can help you to choose the right
product and customise it to your needs or offer your own branding for the
product range. You can visit www.coirgreen.com
for further details or be involved on our social media pages, www.facebook.com/coirgreen or via
twitter on www.twitter.com/coirgreen.
