Vegetation Erosion can occur in many ways – water, wind, ice, or just plain old gravity. It is also technically a natural process, one that is considered necessary for the formation and maintenance of soil processes. There is also accelerated erosion, which is caused by disturbances to the landscape. This includes construction activities. Although the impacts of erosion from construction sites generally cover a smaller area, the bare soil makes sedimentation that much easier, and proper controls are needed to keep the impacts on site.
Vegetation functions as a great best management practice for preventing erosion and sediment runoff. The vegetation works to slow the velocity of water over land and can help to prevent things like rills and gullies from forming. It strengthens the soil by using roots to reinforce and stabilize. Many sites utilize a lot of materials like silt fence and filter fabric to prevent sediment from running offsite, but in a lot of cases, simply implementing a decent vegetative buffer along your site perimeter and sensitive areas like ponds, slopes, and wetlands will work wonders for keeping the dirt where it needs to stay – on site.
The best place to start is, of course, with an evaluation of your site to determine the best plan and layout. You can choose anything from spreading grass seed, laying sod, or using something like hydroseeding to cover your site. It’s important to consider what types of vegetation to use as well. Be sure not to pick any non-native species to that area and be extra cautious about having any invasive species contamination in any seed mix.
The other key to effective erosion control and stormwater management is to use the appropriate BMPs in combination with vegetation. Some areas may call for a little extra assistance, so the placement of silt fence or mats can help reinforce a solid vegetative buffer. Be sure to contact us for assistance with applying and maintaining your erosion control plan. We can also assist with ongoing NPDES inspections to ensure proper maintenance is being done to preserve the integrity of your BMPs on site!
