“The different coir types and
their characteristics have made coir the most versatile natural fiber to combat
erosion and to restore waters and wetlands. Thus, coir seems to be the miracle
fiber of this century to save the earth, its waters and wetlands” – Land and
Water Magazine
The use of natural fibers for
erosion and sedimentation control dates back to the beginning of this century.
The main problems in the early natural fiber textiles (example jute mats) were
low tensile strength, high elongation and low durability. These drawbacks
restricted their use to only less severe erosion problems. An alternate natural
fiber that has drawn the attention of the erosion and sedimentation control
industry is coir, the coconut fiber.
One of the most effective and yet
natural soil erosion prevention techniques is the use of coir geotextiles (coir netting) fabrics. CoirGreen geotextiles have no synthetic material but are instead made out of organic fiber
coir, which is extracted from the husk of a coconut. Coir is strong, durable,
waterproof and one of the few natural fibers that is salt water resistant.
The lighter varieties of coir
woven geotextiles are used for immediate soil erosion and ordinary soil
conditions while the heavier coir geotextiles are used for embankments, slopes
or vegetation. CoirGreen geotextiles protect the soil until the vegetation permanently
covers its mesh. It gives the plants
adequate room to grow and decomposes naturally into humus which will enrich and
nourish the soil. Lasting between two to five years the coir fiber, compared to
other natural fibers such as jute, has several unique features. CoirGreen
geotextiles have the ability to retain water three times more than its actual
weight preventing the need to frequently water the plants. However, at the same
time with its adequate space within the mesh it drains the excess water easily
preventing water logging. With an easy installation method the CoirGreen
geotextiles need no chemical treatment as it lets in the right amount of air
and light for a deeper rooted plant. It can also endure animal and human
movements that would generally lead to more environmental decay.
“Recognition of coir for
sustainable vegetation and erosion control arises from the fact that it is an
abundant, renewable natural resource with an extremely low decomposition rate
and high strength compared to other natural fibers. Coir is woven into thick
textiles which are applied like blankets on the ground in erosion prone areas.
Geotextiles made from coir are durable, absorb water, resist sunlight,
facilitate seed germination, and are 100% biodegradable. These blankets have
high strength retention and a slow rate of degradation meaning they last for
several years in field applications”.
Studies conducted have proven
that coir geotextiles are effective, inexpensive and environmentally friendly.
In one study conducted in 1998 on coir geo textiles, Schuerholz found out that
coir retained 20% of its strength a year later
and 90% humidity whereas jute biodegraded fully after eight weeks. In another study, conducted in Kerala, India,
with a farmer community in 2005, scientists found out that coir combined with
local grass prevents soil erosion.
CoirGreen geotextiles have varying densities depending on
their application, but as a whole they serve as slope stabilization agents
prior to re-vegetation. CoirGreen geotextiles promote new vegetation by
absorbing water and preventing topsoil from drying out. They absorb solar
radiation just like natural soil, and unlike geosynthetic materials, they
provide good soil support for up to three years, allowing natural vegetation to
become established. The greater the geotextile density, the steeper the
embankments it can be utilized on. Applications have included ski slopes and
bottom reinforcing material in water courses.
The uses of CoirGreen geotextiles
can be summarized as below,
●
Stream/River bank protection
●
Shoreline stabilization
●
Slope stabilization in railway
cutting and embankments
●
Separation application in rural
roads, railways, parking and storage areas
and storm shuttering
●
Reinforcement of rural unpaved
roads, temporary walls providing sub base layers in road pavements
●
Filtration in road drains and
land reclamation
●
Containment of soil and
concrete as temporary seeding
●
Concrete column curing
●
Waste protection and forestry
re-vegetation
●
Control of shallow mass waste
and gully erosion
●
UV protection for underground
crops
●
Rooftop landscaping
●
Protection from wind erosion
and wetland environments
●
Plant and tree protective
systems
More information on CoirGreen Geotextiles or other natural products, please visit www.coirgreen.com.