Nature-based ECPs (Erosion Control Products), especially coir products, continually prove to be the best tool for preserving our natural land; not just along rivers and lakefronts, but now also along major and minor roadways. As of August 2024, under Special Provision 20SP-208B-01, BIO-D® coir products have been provisionally approved for use on MDOT projects for erosion control, inlet protection, and fabric drop. We hope to see more and more use of these products because one of the best parts of traveling in Michigan is the view! Taking a drive up north, you are met by the vast amounts of trees and native plants along the highways, but in many places, the natural environment is impacted or depleted by roadway construction. Incorporating biodegradable products and a bio-engineering approach in the later stages of construction would allow MDOT to meet their goals for jobsite sediment control, mitigating ecological harm, AND contribute to the natural beauty of Michigan.
MDOT, in their SESC Manual (Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control), emphasizes the importance of "construction practices intended to minimize soil erosion and off-site sedimentation." Despite these guidelines and strict no littering laws in Michigan, polypropylene/straw blankets are still very commonly used on MDOT projects. Not only do these nets allow microplastics to enter the soil and waterways, but they also endanger wildlife and must be removed from the site at some point in the future. This information and stance is echoed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which heavily advises against polypropylene erosion control products.
Green infrastructure is not only a practical, sturdy approach to roadway construction, but it also offers an opportunity to showcase the beautiful biodiversity of the Great Lakes! Instead of a ditch with dying grass and a pool of water, imagine your Michigan roadways lined with native long grasses and wildflowers. Their beauty, combined with the natural soil-retention that their deep roots offer, make the nature-based approach more than optimal. This practice also invites the natural fauna of the ecosystem to return: bees, birds, and butterflies, all symbiotically doing their part through pollinating the jobsite year after year.
Our Bio-D coir products, in conjunction with a bio-engineering approach, meet all of the state-sanctioned requirements, while also having a perpetually positive impact on the land. After all necessary construction is done and the soil is refilled, native plants like wildflowers, grasses, and tree saplings are planted to ensure the permanence of the earth there. The selection of plants is tailored to best suit each site. A coir blanket is laid over top to induce seed-germination and prevent sediment runoff. As the plants go to seed and regrow each season, their roots reach deeper, holding the land more and more steady as the years pass; not only preserving the health and beauty of our land but also reducing the need for jobsite maintenance after completion (aside from watering the seedlings in the first year).
Project managers--make the change to eco-friendly erosion control products today! Eagle Shoreline Protection is the first and only distributor in Michigan with a fully stocked warehouse; delivery or pickup available. Click the link here to order and view products or call 906-523-3245.
Photos curtesy of Aussie Environmental, Cirtex Civil Hub, and Rolanka International