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The state of Queensland is home to vast agricultural, industrial, and residential development areas. With a variety of activities disturbing the soil each year, the region often suffers from erosion, both by wind and water.
Without an active erosion control plan, the state may leave its residents at risk of dust exposure, landslides, and other catastrophic events brought about by severe soil erosion.
In response, Erizon offers the local government of Queensland and its private communities with soil rehabilitation services. In particular, we highly recommend using our premium hydromulching solutions that provide both an immediate soil cover and sufficient medium for vegetation growth.
A corresponding rise in environmental risk currently challenges Queensland’s economic prosperity. When the effects of disrupting lands meet with wild weather conditions, the results include catastrophic events that may destroy entire communities when not addressed immediately.
The state, for instance, experiences high-intensity summer rainfalls. These events represent a significant risk of erosion by water.
When rain hits bare soil, it does so with enough force to agitate and break the soil particles apart. Water runoffs occur, taking soil particles with them.
Add in the quality and type of soils as a significant factor for erosion. Some soil types are more erodible than others. When human activities disturb lands of high erosion-risk profiles, the problem turns out to be much worse.
Factor in slope length and slope steepness.Â
In some regions, the erosion risk is so much higher because of the characteristic slope. Any community residing beneath the top of an erodible hill would be in danger of life-threatening landslides.
Luckily, the local government is actively campaigning for the prevention and control of erosion in the state. Queensland officials have continuously released mandates based on the following three principles:
To use lands only according to their capacity.
To protect the surface of the soil with a cover.
To control runoffs before they become a robust erosive force.
From these recommendations, state officials are highlighting the need to have some form of soil cover. With sufficient protection, they believe this can minimise the impact of raindrops on the soil surface significantly.
Thus, the state emphasises the need for tree planting and revegetation. Officials consider these as long-term solutions to the state’s erosion problems.
Many lands, however, have reached a level of barrenness or inability to support plant growth, such that conventional revegetation methods would no longer apply.
Scalding is already present in many lands. In such cases, wind and water erosion have already removed the topsoil. It exposes saline or sodic soils, which will not be able to support most vegetative growth.
Furthermore, the phenomena can contribute to rill and gully erosion. Rill erosion occurs when runoffs form small channels, and concentrate down a sloped area. Experts categorise gully erosion as rills that are deeper than 0.3m.
Gully erosion, on the other hand, occurs when runoff concentrates and then flows strongly such that it detaches and moves soil particles. This type of corrosion alone already affects soil productivity. It can even damage fences, roads, and buildings.
In the worst of cases, tunnel erosion can occur. This type involves the removal of subsoil. Eventually, a massive portion of the soil collapses and forms a gully. When chunks of these subsoils are exposed to water, they break down into sand, clay, and silt. These individual particles will most likely contaminate water lines. When carried over through hillsides by storm, they can even trigger the worst of landslides.
These entirely overwhelming scenarios call for the help of experts and erosion control providers who have access to modern facilities. Only such providers can help with large-scale and fast-acting revegetation procedures.
Knowing the above issues that the state of Queensland is facing, Erizon offers a highly sustainable and cost-effective revegetation approach called hydromulching.
Erizon believes that what Queensland needs is hydromulching — a highly-efficient and environmentally compliant method of revegetation.
Our team of soil experts have formulated and developed two methods of applying a hydromulch, each one capable of addressing the needs of a set of site conditions.
Hydromulching HGM involves a one-step application process, aimed at providing vegetation support on uneven surfaces and rough seedbeds.
HGM stands for Hydraulic Growth Medium — a plant growth medium that holds moisture long enough to promote faster seed germination and growth. With its moisture content, it also acts as soil cover that helps minimise erosion.
The HGM solution includes seeds, water, fertiliser, and of course, mulch. It is worth noting that hydromulching significantly differs from hydroseeding. The former consists of a growth medium and works even with minimal supervision and rainfall. The latter, however, is only suitable for well-prepared sites with sufficient sources of irrigation.
Erizon recommends hydromulching for lands that have already become incapable of supporting plant growth by itself. We see such conditions across Queensland, and we, therefore, advise the use of hydromulching procedures to combat the state’s erosion problems.
Our EnviroPro HGM, in particular, includes a tracking dye into the mix. It helps in ensuring the even application of the mixture when spreading it using hoses, hydro trucks, or drones.
This tracking dye, while taken for granted in traditional methods, ensures the high success rate of the revegetation projects we handle.
Hydromulching BFM (Bonded Fibre Matrix), on the other hand, requires two steps of application. The first phase includes the spraying of seed, water, and amelioration, thereby ensuring sufficient seed-to-soil contact.
The second step involves the application of cellulosic mulch, proprietary binders, and tackifiers at a much faster speed than conventional hydromulching procedures. The speedier use is required because of the BFM’s inherent viscosity through its bonding agents.
These bonding elements, in turn, make the matrix dry quickly and form a protective cover over the target surface.
This cover acts a lot like an erosion control blanket. Its integrity stays for as long as six to 12 months. Therefore, it works to mitigate erosion even while waiting for the vegetation to germinate, take root, and hold the soil together.
With these benefits in mind, Erizon recommends the use of a bonded fibre matrix when dealing with steep slopes and batters. Even verges and flat areas can significantly benefit when revegetated through the BFM method.
In any of the two hydromulching standards above, Erizon practices a scientific process of handling revegetation projects.
We always begin our procedures with a soil analysis. This preliminary phase helps us decide which type of hydromulching method is best for a project.
Our team of soil scientists and engineers will conduct a site inspection and make use of a 3D drone survey to map out the target site in great detail. We will also consider the area’s climate conditions, history of use, surrounding neighbourhoods, and future development plans.
After reviewing the analysis results, we proceed with outlining an approach tailored to the land’s current conditions as well as the project’s overall goals.
We then utilise the latest spreading technologies to facilitate the even application of the hydromulch. We also use drone spraying to add in fertiliser, soil probiotics, and trace elements around 4 to 8 weeks after seeding. Doing so ensures ongoing vegetative growth.
Finally, our team of site managers will conduct post-project monitoring for as long as necessary. In case of any issues, Erizon’s experts will come in and provide the quickest and most appropriate solutions to the site.
For over 25 years now, Erizon has been Australia’s leading provider of revegetation and hydromulching services.
Our core principles of innovation, sustainability, and excellence drive us to use only scientific methods in solving erosion control issues in any state, including Queensland.
These same principles provide our rationale for beginning and ending each project with analysis. A preliminary investigation allows us to offer a tailored solution. Meanwhile, a post-project review will help us determine the kind of support needed to ensure long-term erosion control in the area.
We also develop and engineer our hydromulching solutions, thereby ensuring environmental compliance and cost-effectiveness. Our highly trained technicians know precisely how to prepare the site and which types of spreaders to use for a more efficient application.
Erizon’s ultimate goal is for Queensland — and Australia as a whole — to enjoy a cleaner, greener, and safer environments. We believe in striking the right balance between prosperity and sustainability.
All these can be possible with Erizon’s biggest strength, and that is the ability to provide solutions tailored to the needs of any revegetation project.
Call our team today on 1300 182 182
Please note we do not service Residential Projects.