Unprotected natural or constructed earthen slopes are a major point source erosion problem that can result in serious sediment flows to lower catchment sites, contamination of rivers and streams, water quality reduction, slope failure and slippage that often result in landslides, economic damage to property, and loss of life. The Vetiver System can effectively and at low cost, protect slopes, stop or significantly reduce the risk of slippage, and prevent down stream water contamination. This is because vetiver grass roots have a high tensile strength - average 75 MPa that can increase shear strength of soil by a factor of 40, and because when planted on slopes vetiver will reduce slope hydraulic pressures through the removal of water. The combination of slippage prevention (mass wastage of soil) and its sediment filtering ability results in very clean water moving down the catchment
The handbook: The Vetiver System for Slope Stabilization describes in detail VS applications. It has been written primarily for engineers and contains case studies and many color images of VS applications. The book can be downloaded or can be purchased as hard copy from Amazon.com
TVNI's archives contains many papers and references to VS for slope stabilization.
TVNI's photo galleries provide images of slope protection: Gallery 1, Gallery 2
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TECHNICAL HANDBOOK Vetiver System For Infrastructure Protection and Disaster Mitigation (html with images). |
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THE VETIVER SYSTEM FOR SLOPE STABILIZATION - AN ENGINEERS HANDBOOK: This book describes the problems relating to slope stabilization and the use of VS for disaster mitigation. It has some excellent images and case studies. The nook can be downloaded at no charge or purchased from Amazon.com |
| DISASTER MITIGATION |
VETIVER SYSTEM FOR US GULF REGION: It is hurricane season again, and we will be reminded once again to do more for coastal and levee protection. The Vetiver System is one tool that can help provide protection in the long term. Here is a revised technical fact sheet to support VS use in the Gulf states. There is a new vetiver grass supplier in Alabama, Charlie and Bonnie Pate; they have also installed vetiver for slope protection. |
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KENYA: Mseto Environmental Self Help Group Vetiver Grass Project Located in a rather dry area of Kenya on the Voi River this group is using vetiver for a number of applications including river bank stabilization and soil conservation.  Read more |
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MEKONG RIVER BANK STABILIZATION - CAMBODIA TVNI has been working with Mr. Tuon Van of Cambodia in stabilizing a stretch of river bank adjacent to his farm. He had been losing land at an alarming rate and a major highway is also at risk. Tuon Van generously shared his photos and experience with us - it is not yet finished! Vetiver survived 4-5 months totally submerged under water, some of it 10 meters below the river surface!! Read and See More |
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River Bank Stabilization in Southern Chile: Germán Wallace of Pineda Bioingeniería Wallace y Cía, Ltd aConcepcion, Chile and Paul Truong TVNI, Brisbane, Australia, have done some very interesting river bank stabilization in the cool temperate region of southern Chile. We hope to see an expansion of this type of VS application in Chile and elsewhere. Learn More About this Initiative |
For 11 years Doug Richardson has been quietly introducing the Vetiver System for slope stabilization and erosion control in southern California in the Santa Barbara area. He has over 60 projects now, and they show just how effective vetiver can be. We have received over the years a lot of flack about the potential invasiveness of vetiver grass, particularly by botanists. In 11 years Doug has seen no evidence of invasive behavior of this Sunshine cultivar of vetiver grass. This confirms evidence from PIER (Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk) assessment that vetiver grass has a very low risk factor of minus 8. Even the most stringent countries will allow imports of plants with a plus 1 risk assessment. In California where fires and mud slides are major problems we have found that The Vetiver System will prevent slides, and even if burnt vetiver will recover again in a very short period (3 weeks) amd still protect the slopes.
As shown in the images that Doug has provided vetiver will stabilize steep slopes, stop slides, protect roads from sediment flows (thus reduce maintenance costs) and at the same time look beautiful and green when most other plants are dried up. These are only just a few of the applications of this unique plant. It can also be used for levee stabilization, mine tailing reclamation, and the treatment of contaminated water and land.
Indonesia: Highway Stabilization - Bandung Trial
Indonesian highways agency has, with support of the Indonesian Vetiver Network (IVN) and TVNI, has carried out a trial on a 70º batter slope (laterite soil) comparing vetiver grass with other local grasses, including bahia. The results are convincingly in favor of the Vetiver System. So much so that the Government and World Bank will apply VS throughout the Indonesian highway system. Well done David Booth (IVN coordinator). Alain Ndona -- Vetiver Specialist in Congo DR. Alain Ndona is a Vetiver Systems specialist working in Congo DRC. He has brought quality work to on farm vetiver applications and for slope stabilization of highways and urban ravines. Africa needs persons like Alain if the continent is to successfully deal with climate change, declining water availability, and accelerating erosion. You can read more about Alain's work in the attached files.  |
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Carol Knoll and Roley Nöffke's illustrated article in July/August 2008 issue of Environmental Management. Hydromulch (Pty) Ltd has been involved in a major sand fixing, erosion control and slope stabilization undertaking along newly constructed roads at the Rio Tinto/QMM Ilmenite Project at Fort Dauphin in Madagascar. Wind blown sand was a major issue and a decision was made to use barrier netting and Vetiver Grass hedgerows as erosion control protection on the slopes of the excavated Ehoala dune areas, prior to hydroseeding with local grass species. Rehabilitation activities during the construction phase are part of QMM’s environmental obligation to the Malagasy government. In conjunction with QMM Environmental, which has been interacting with the local communities in the mining area for a number of years, Hydromulch initiated a Vetiver sourcing and growing programme with members of neighbouring communities. For detailed images by Choppin Yohann see immediately below. Email: plantation.bemasoandro@yahoo.fr |
THE USE OF VETIVER IN COASTAL ENGINEERING |
The Use of Vetiver in Coastal Engineering: A single hedge of Vetiver grass planted on the outer slope of a dike can reduce the wave run-up volume by 55%, in contrary with sod-forming grasses that give no reduction. Planting multiple hedges along the contour of the outer slope might result in even more reduction. The application of Vetiver grass on existing dikes may provide a substantial reinforcement of these dikes. Read More |
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Delft University Vetiver Research: Delft University is carrying out research on how the Vetiver System can be used for coastal defences. Here is a summary of its work by Gerrit Jan Schiereck. |
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China: The Xinchang Railway Company located in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province, became the first railway to form a Vetiver company. It was launched in 2001 and at that time began to use VS. On 20 April 2001, about 120,000 tillers of Vetiver planting material were transported from a village in the Dabie Mountains where farmers had been producing planting materials for contracted Vetiver projects since 1998 as part of a poverty alleviation program and an environmental protection scheme. Learn More |
