Biodegradable Erosion Control Matting, the Clean Green Choice for Erosion Control

The UN Convention to Combat Desertification puts the loss of fertile soil at about 24 billion tonnes a year. Erosion has always happened through climate and geology, but forest clearing, overgrazing, bare ground with no protective vegetation and construction work for roads and urban development have made it much faster.

Reforestation, gully banks, contour cultivation, bench terracing and crop rotation all reduce erosion on farmland. On cut slopes, embankments, drain banks and riverbanks, where soil has to be held in place while vegetation establishes, biodegradable erosion control matting does the job without leaving plastic in the ground.

What is erosion control matting?

Geosynthetics used against erosion include erosion control blankets, geotextiles, turf reinforcement mats and geocellular confinement systems. Some are temporary, some permanent.

Biodegradable erosion control matting (also called erosion control blankets) is made from natural fibres such as jute or coir. The mat covers bare soil, breaks the impact of rain, slows runoff across the surface and holds seed and topsoil in place until roots take over. The fibres then break down, leaving the vegetation to do the long-term work. Compared with synthetic mats, they cost less and need no removal.

Key Features of Erosion Control Matting:

• Absorbs water and keeps moisture at the soil surface, which helps seeds germinate
• Light rolls that are quick to lay and pin by hand
• Low cost compared with synthetic or hard protection
• 100% biodegradable when made from untreated natural fibre
• Open weave lets plants grow through and roots anchor into the soil below
• Cuts the force of rain, surface runoff and wind on bare soil

Used this way, the blankets help restore erosion-prone ground, stabilise the surface of slopes, slow water flowing over the soil, protect drain banks and support vegetation growth.

What are the different types of erosion control matting?

The right blanket depends on the slope, the expected water flow, the climate and how long the soil needs cover before vegetation takes over. Natural-fibre blankets degrade over time; synthetic turf reinforcement mats are permanent and suit long-term applications. Blankets also come in different thicknesses, weights and fibre blends.

Jute and coir are the two most common natural fibres for biodegradable erosion control matting.

Jute matting is woven from unbleached jute fibres and suits mild to moderate slopes with low to medium flow. Its loosely twisted, thick yarns absorb a lot of water and stretch to follow the ground. The mat holds soil in place, lets plants grow through and decomposes fully, usually within one to two years.

Coir matting is made from coconut husk fibres with no chemical treatment. Coir has a high lignin content, so it decomposes more slowly than jute (typically lasting several years) and has higher tensile and tear strength. That makes it the better choice for longer-term work, for steeper slopes and for wet or hydraulic applications such as riverbanks, stream banks and drainage channels. Ocean supplied coir geotextile for slope stabilization in Kullu.

For all your jute matting and coir matting needs:

Ocean Geosynthetics supplies jute and coir erosion control blankets along with other erosion control and bioengineering products. Contact us with your slope, soil and flow conditions to discuss which option suits your site.