B.C. Ministry of Forests Forest Science Program
		Abstract for Working Paper 14

		Trials of Erosion Control Netting for Improved Stability of Forest Roadside Slopes
		Author or Ministry Contact: S.G.J. Homoky
		Branch: Research
		Subject: Erosion, Mass Wasting and Landslides
		Series:  Working Paper
		Other details:  Published 1996.

Abstract

The application of soil netting with established agronomic herbaceous vegetation cover is a useful technique to control surface erosion. However, the practice is confined to carefully engineered structures on highways, waterways, and municipal construction sites with uniform slopes and largely homogeneous soil materials.

The erosion control net should allow emergence of germinants and should be flexible enough to maintain full contact with the soil surface. Achieving the latter requirement is sometimes difficult on forest roads due to the roughness of cut and fillslope surfaces. Therefore, the choice of netting is limited to its flexibility.

Three types of netting were selected for this study and their performances were evaluated. It must be emphasized here that the results should be viewed in terms of significance of these nettings on forest roads only.

Quantitative results support earlier empirical qualitative statements as regards timing of vegetation establishment in the British Columbia interior, length of time required to control surface erosion, and the decline of natural erosion with the passage of years on exposed, untreated surfaces. The study also revealed that erosion control on forest roadsides is possible without the use of netting, but that certain types of netting can contribute significantly to increased and accelerated sediment trapping and biomass build-up. Therefore, erosion control objectives on forest roadsides should be viewed in these two terms.

This report is intended for researchers involved with forest soil conservation research, and for engineering personnel engaged in forest road construction and maintenance.

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