Soil bioengineering refers to low-impact techniques for soil stabilization and environmental restoration by employing living plant material (or wood) coupled with inert materials (rocks, earth, mulch mat, metallic nets, geotextiles, etc…).
Such techniques are based on harnessing the biological and mechanical properties of certain plant species having a high growing and rooting rates. Moreover, in the mid-long term soil bioengineering works, trough the development of vegetation, are aimed to develop self-sustaining ecosistemic units, hence improving the hydrologic, pedologic and naturalistic characteristics of an area.
Thanks to the variety of different plants and materials that can be used, soil bioengineering techniques are employed to build several structure types (e.g. gabions, crib walls, check dams) which are suitable for many applications:
EnviCons sworks for both private clients and public administrations, designing soil bioengineering works when it is necessary to combine slope stabilization with low-impact but effective works, in a perspective of environmental improvement and landscape integration.