How To Prevent Erosion From Destroying The Natural Environment

Sandhills and pine forest under blue sky. Rural landscape

Erosion is a loss of soil that can have devastating effects on the natural environment. If erosion is not prevented, plants will not have the soil they need to grow and underground ecosystems will be lost. Fortunately, there are a number of ways that you can prevent erosion from destroying the natural environment.

Planting Grass And Shrubs

A lot of people do not realise that planting grass and shrubs can help prevent erosion. Erosion is generally caused by water and wind sweeping away bare soil. When you plant grass and shrubs, the roots of the plants will hold the soil in place and prevent it from being swept away. The leaves of plants will also block the rain and stop it from breaking the soil apart.

Using Mulch And Rocks

While planting grass and shrubs is the best solutions, if you are planting young shrubs, you need to take some extra steps. Mulch and rocks can be used to weigh down the soil and prevent it and your young plants from being swept away. The mulch will also absorb water which will reduce the amount of runoff which can cause erosion.

Build A Limestone Retaining Wall

If you have a slope on your property, you need to consider some additional solutions. This is due to the slope of the ground and the way that water runs down it. The best solution in these cases will be a well built limestone retaining wall. These walls are built at the base of the slope and will block the soil.

A retaining wall is a commonly used method of slowing down the collapse of a slope that has suffered from erosion. Retaining walls will also give your grass and plants enough time to grow and start to hold the soil together. If you are going to build a retaining wall, it is important to note that you might need to get approval from your local council first.

Improve Drainage

As erosion is primarily caused by water, improving drainage is a great solution. It is recommended that you have pipes which can drain water out of your garden and into water collection systems. If you do not have proper drainage in your garden, you could lose a layer of topsoil with one bout of heavy rain. If you have problem areas in your garden, you need to look at installing underground perforated drainage pipes to help.

Avoid Soil Compaction

When animals, people and machines travel over bare soil, they will compact it into a dense layer over time. Compacted soil will have less space between the particles which means that water will have a harder time draining through it. When this happens, the water will carry the soil downhill and cause erosion.

There are a number of steps that you can take to avoid soil compaction. Having a path through the garden is the best option. You can also look at adding compost to the soil to attract earthworms as they are able to increase the space between the soil particles.