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Controlling Erosion With Wood Strands

A new tech tip from SDTDC, Wood Strands as an Alternative to Agricultural Straw for Erosion Control (0423–1302P–SDTDC), discusses using wood strands as an alternative to agricultural straw for controlling erosion. Wood that can be converted to wood strands often is available in areas where disturbed soil is subject to erosion, such as burned areas, timber harvest landings, decommissioned roads, and road cuts and fills. Straw also is used to control erosion, but straw must be transported to such areas and may include weed seeds.

Tests conducted in a rainfall simulator by the Rocky Mountain Research Station show that wood strand material is statistically equivalent to straw in reducing runoff and sediment production.

Electronic versions of the wood strands tech tip can be found at: http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/pubs/html/04231302/04231302.html.

For more information on testing wood strand material for erosion control, contact L'Tanga Watson, project leader (phone: 909–599–1267, ext. 206; e-mail: lwatson02@fs.fed.us) or Randy B. Foltz, research engineer, at the Rocky Mountain Research Station (phone: 208–883–2312; e-mail: rfoltz@fs.fed.us).

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