Coconut coir logs are biodegradable erosion control products that can be used on hills, banks, shores or on any other areas that are at risk of erosion. They are very easy to place and use, as well as install, and they create a natural control setting that can help establish growth, and therefore, manage the erosion that is ongoing. They have been so far used in erosion control projects, stabilization areas and construction job sites successfully. Coir logs are made out of densely packed coir fibres that are held within a polymer or a mesh log that is designed to biodegrade over a long period so that is allows the areas that it has been installed in, to be re-stabilised by the time it decomposes, leaving behind a highly fertile biomass. The below are just two examples of how coir logs can be used to restore natural yet negatively impacted environments to their former robust nature.
Coir logs in channel stabilisation
Coir logs are frequently used within water courses to protect river channel banks that are at high risk of erosion or damage. They are chosen in situations where remedial work has been carried out, and in situations where vegetation has been lost along the river banks. In such cases, if there is no protection and assistance given to re-vegetate, the exposed soil is vulnerable and will wash away easily in the rain or be blown off by strong winds. Thus, coir logs are installed at the water line where they can prevent wave action from further damaging the bank, and offer support for the existing or new vegetation. These logs are designed to become perfect re-vegetation mediums and can be pre-planted with the right types of plants for the bank vegetation. The plants then rapidly trap sediment and soil in the suspension of the channel flow and fill up erosion pockets in the bank behind the line of the coir logs that have been installed.
Coir logs in wetland re-vegetation
The coir logs that are used in wetland re-vegetation provides temporary physical support and protection to a site while the vegetation is established and natural, biological protection of the wetland takes over. These logs can offer a substrate for the plants to grow once the log decay process begins and therefore it protects native or newly grown plants right next to the logs. This method can also be used as a transition from one re-vegetation technique to another, and can also be used to secure the toe slopes in many low velocity settings. In order to protect the potential for soil wash out, the coir logs will need to transition seamlessly into a stable stream bank whether it is at the upstream or downstream end. The logs will need to be installed to ensure contact with the soil throughout their length. In most cases planters will dig a shallow trench and bury 2/3 of the log into the soil. There should be no open space between the logs, and therefore, it is advisable to tie them end to end. Sometimes, biodegradable wooden stakes are used to secure them firmly to the ground, and biodegradable twine can be used to weave them into the bank.
