Salix living solutions, river & wetlands
overview wetlands rivers soil erosion projects products contact

Bioengineering Techniques

Some bioengineering techniques must be assembled on site from live harvested material. Willow is a particularly versatile tool due to its exceptional ability to regenerate from cuttings and branches.

Salix lead the way in willow-based revetments, with numerous revetment types used throughout the UK on all river types. Wherever possible we harvest material locally to ensure that the local biodiversity is enhanced and that unsuitable species are not introduced.

  

 

 bioengineering techniques
bioengineering techniques

 bioengineering techniques

willow revetments


Wherever possible willow (or even poplar) is collected locally within the catchment to maintain local biodiversity and also reduce project costs.

Alternatively, on sites where no natural willow is found, Salix can harvest live material from our own willow coppice.

 

live willow staking

Live willow staking is a method of restoring tree cover to eroding banks, even in higher energy environments.

This method is very cost effective and allows marginal vegetation to establish amongst the stakes. Black poplar can also be used successfully in certain applications.

bioengineering techniques
willow stakes willow stakes

 
brush mattress

A live willow brush mattress is capable of withstanding very high flow velocities and is therefore suitable in higher energy, mobile gravel bed rivers. The branches absorb flow energy, trap sediment and seed and as a result evolve with high biodiversity value.
brush mattress brush mattress
willow spiling

Spiling is a traditional technique which should only be used in low energy situations, but is a good method of retaining vertically eroded riverbanks in areas where regarding the bank in not possible.

willow spiling willow spiling
whole tree root revetment (root wads)

Root Wads are upturned tree roots with comparable bulk weight and size of a gabion or small blockstone.

Root Wads are ideal where water depth is too great for living bioengineering solutions or where flow velocities are high. Root Wads provide excellent cover for fish and deflect flows away from eroding or vulnerable banks.

whole tree root revetment (root wads)
whole tree root revetment (root wads)
whole tree root revetment (root wads) whole tree root revetment (root wads)
   
    whole tree root revetment (root wads)

infoCLICK HERE to ask a question or arrange for a specialist to visit phone 0870 350 1851

spacer
Home Page Home | Overview | Consultation | Contracting Services | Nursery | Wetland | Wetlands | Treatment | S.U.D.S | Rivers | Water Erosion | Water Course Bioengineering | Bioengineering Techniques | Soil Erosion Control Soil Erosion Control | Projects | Latest | Video | Newsletters | Products | Coir Rolls | Coir Pallets | Prevegetated Stock | Fascines/Faggots | Rock Rolls | Wetland Plants | Floating Reed Island | Contact | Contact