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. TVNI's photo galleries provide images of slope protection: Gallery 1, Gallery 2 |
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| More Slide Shows on Slope Stabilization: Vetiver System for public utility and right of way protection (1) Vetiver System for public utility and right of way protection (2) Vetiver System for Railroad Protection (1) Vetiver System for Railroad Protection (2) Vetiver System for river and stream bank erosion control Vetiver System for dam, pond and lake bank stabilization Vetiver System for rural farm to market roads Vetiver System for Stabilzing Highway Batter Slopes Vetiver System for the Stabilization of Highway Fill Slopes Vetiver System for Highway Drain protection Vetiver System for Bridge Abutment Protection |
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| Integration of Vetiver System within conventional erosion control technologies in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo: VARIOUS VIEWS OF CASIS GULLY | A series of before and after images of the restoration of this massive gully. Courtesy of Alain Ndona - Vetiver Engineer |
| Slope Stabilization in Itaipava‐Petropolis | The vetiver solution was a total success after a landslide in 2008. This articile is particularly relevant now that the catastrophic landslides are back in full force in 2011. Read the pdf |
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River and steep bank stabilization in Assam, India. Two related files by Oliver Hawes and Shantanoo Bhattacharyya showing and discussing the work carried out by Shantanoo on some very big rivers in Assam, including the mighty Bramaputra. There were some failures, but mostly it was succesful and some very useful lessons can be learnt from this work. More at our blog site. |
| Vetiver System for Erosion and Sediment Control, and Stabilisation of Steep Slopes | Power Point by Paul Truong (pdf MB 2.6) With special reference to Vietnam |
Application of Vetiver Grass Technology in the Stabilisation of Road Infrastructure in the Wet Tropical Region of Australia |
Power Point by Paul Truong (pdf MB7.4) |
Vetiver System for River Bank Stabilization |
Power Point with special reference to river bank stabilization in Australia and Vietnam by Paul Truong. (pdf MB1.2) |
MOUNTAIN ROAD PROTECTION COLOMBIA (including Vetiver) |
Meclas Ecologicas Parrael Control dela Erosion y La Estabilidad de Taludes pdf MB 1.2 English Spanish |
VETIVER GRASS SYSTEM FOR LANDSLIDE REHABILITATION WITH GEOFABRICS |
Power Point by Paul Truong. (pdf MB1.0) |
VETIVER GRASS SYSTEM FOR LANDSLIDE REHABILITATION WITH HARD STRUCTURE |
Power Point by Paul Truong.pdf (MB1.6) |
Urban Ravine Stabilization in Brazzaville, Congo |
This is a modified power point of Alain Ndona's work in stabilizing some massive urban ravines in Brazzaville. This follows his very succesful work in ravine stabilization in the DR Congo. Alain can be contacted by email. |
PROTECCION DE TALUDES CON EL SISTEMA VETIVER FENOMENO HIDROTERMALISMO CASO CENTRAL HIDROELECTRICA PLATANAR SAN CARLOS, COSTA RICA |
This review by Yorleny Cruz (in Spanish) looks at the use of VS for stabilizing earthworks and canal banks of hydro electric scheme in Costa Rica. The stabilization program was started 9 years ago, with succesful results. Yorleny is the new Coordinator for the Costa Rica Vetiver Network and can be contacted by email |
Wave Run-up Reduction through Vetiver Grass |
This is an important MSc thesis by Auke Algera. It should be read in conjunction with Jasper Foch's thesis on the same topic. |
The Vetiver System for Infrastructure Stabilization in Africa |
This is a modified power point showing how VS has been used for slope stabilization in Madagascar. It also shows how local communities have benefited from the production of vetiver plant material. The author, Roley Noffke, is a highly skilled and experienced road engineer and has worked widely with various Vetiver System applications. He can be contacted by email. |
LAND SLIDES & PROTECTION |
This short series of images from Van Tran Tan of Vietnam gives a good idea how Vetiver System stabilized land slide prone slopes on the Ho Chi Minh Highway |
Vetiver - Soluciones Ambientales en Biotecnología. |
Vetiver - Soluciones Ambientales en Biotecnología. PowerPoint in Spanish by Yorleny Cruz Chaves, MBA Email |
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This slide show depicts a major sand dune stabilization work using vetiver in Madagascar. The planting was under the management of Coppin Yohann - Madagascar Vetiver Network, and HydroMulch. Photos by Coppin Yohann. The slides first show the work on the sandune and approach roads and then shows the production of vetiver plant material by local farmers who were under contract to the project. A full text description is available |
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Vetiver Network Madagascar has produced its first newsletter. In the past Madagascar has demonstrated some excellent applications of VS. Now Yoann Coppin of La Plantation Bemasoandro - VETIVER SYSTEM APPLICATIONS MADAGASCAR is developing a network and sharing information. Thanks Yoann for your initiative. Learn 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. |
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Fixing a major sand dune in Madagascar. 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 stabilisation 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 |
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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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TECHNICAL HANDBOOK |
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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 |
Gulf of Mexico. Disaster Mitigation. Technical Fact Sheet |
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 |
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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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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. |
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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. |
Vetiver in California 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. |
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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). See Details |
