Flowing from North to South Carolina, the Eastatoee River is normally a
cool and gentle mountain stream. But after heavy rains, its waters swirl
with energy to eat away and melt the soil along its banks.
So Wes Cooler of Summit, S.C., and other property owners along the
Eastatoee started laying down trees to restore the land along their
waterway. A leader in the Foothills Resource Conservation and
Development Council and the Partners for Trout organization, Cooler has
seen the healing that can come from this simple and inexpensive
erosion-control method. It is called a tree revetment.
The trees are anchored into the streambank to slow the current and allow
sediment to be deposited among the tree branches. "Natural green
vegetation will emerge from this area as the trees deteriorate," says
Cooler.
[PAGEBREAK]
The more branches in the trees, the better the protection. Hardwoods
with brushy tops work especially well. Before placing the trees along
the bank, it is a good idea to cut off the bottom trunk that is without
limbs.
The diameter of the tree's crown should be about two-thirds of the
height of the eroding bank.
Low cost is one of the benefits of tree revetments. Trees can be
installed at about a fifth of the cost of rock riprap, which is the
conventional means of controlling riverbank erosion. And as a bonus, the
trees provide excellent fish and wildlife cover.