Topsoil has many important jobs. We rely on topsoil to grow 95% of our food. Soil also filters water, removing impurities and preventing distillates from getting into our groundwater.
Due to factors like poor land management practices, and excessive tillage, we lose 24 billion tons of loose soil every year.
This constant erosion doesn’t just affect farmers, it affects everyone.
While plenty of topsoil erosion occurs on flat ground, when positioned on a hill, soil erosion can be rapidly sped up. The effects of this can be devastating to an ecosystem. Preventing soil erosion on a slope or hill is an important aspect of soil quality preservation and goes beyond pure aesthetics.
Retaining Wall
A retaining wall is an aesthetically pleasing way to protect against soil runoff. The walls give you the ability to create slope area zones to give your property a terraced appearance. This creates a series of mini garden areas that add depth to your sloped property. You can convert the deviated plots into flower or plant beds while also holding back eroding soil.
Garden Terrace
Terracing your slope using natural and homegrown materials can also give you a series of smaller areas you are free to get creative with. Terraces can be created with logs, wooden stakes, and brush, or any other sustainable materials. The terraces keep runoff from flowing straight downhill while the smaller areas can be used as smaller gardens for cover crops intended to enrich the soil while holding it in place.
Plantings
Perennial fruit trees, herbs, and berry bushes take to soil well. So do trees and bushes. The latter have roots that will dig deep into the soil while their leafy canopies break up the heavy rainfall, giving adequate protection to the soil underneath. Other ideas include grasses, groundcover, broadleaf plant species, and legumes.
As long as the plantings you use are appropriate for your growing zone, the vegetative growth will give the soil the weight it needs to remain firmly in place. These crops also add nitrogen to the topsoil, which contributes to soil quality and health.
These cover crops have other benefits. Once sprouted, cover vegetation protects your property from wind and water erosion. They allow water flow through their root systems and increase your levels of water infiltration.
Once fully grown, your plantings will provide a lush hillside backdrop with enough to withstand the rain with little effort on your part.
Geosynthetics and Erosion Control Mats
Erosion control technology forces soil to stay put on a steep hill. Geotextiles and erosion control mats are engineered materials to protect your soil from erosion. The mats are designed to promote vegetation growth.
Speak with a Flexamat representative to discuss how Flexamat can help solve your erosion issue.
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