An example of organic waste recovery: the use of ramial-chipped wood for erosion control

Abstract

Ramial-chipped wood (RCW or BRF) is obtained through chipping of low diameter branches and can be used for soil enrichment. This organic waste is not as degraded as classical green compost materials but it can allow activating biological natural processes specific to wood decomposition in soil. Therefore it can improve soil quality and contribute to vegetation development. The aim of this paper is to show how it can be of interest for ecological restoration of degraded lands, especially in the context of soil erosion control. Firstly the paper describes the processes occurring during wood degradation in soil. Then the major results of experiences are summarized assessing the interest of ramial-chipped wood in the context of soil bioengineering techniques for erosion control. One of the main results is that ramial-chipped wood can stay in place for a long time (up to three years) even on steep slopes. We also sought to show how BRF could be an interesting alternative to the traditional recovery of organic waste and to wood-energy systems. Its advantage is that it offers a management method based on short supply chains that can be conceived at various levels: from local, particularly in the management of green belts, to larger-scale greening operations on large development projects.