The effects of biological geotextiles on gully stabilization in São Luís, Brazil

Abstract

This paper analyses the contribution of biological geotextiles to gully stabilization in the urban area of Sa˜o Luis City (Sacave´m District). Biological geotextile mats were constructed from palm leaves. At Sacave´m, gully rehabilitation included the following techniques: (1) installation of Buriti geotextiles, in association with barriers of wooden stakes and the construction of contoured terraces; (2) analysis of sediment particle size and (3) photograph comparison of the development of vegetal cover. Rehabilitation used *30 kg of grass seeds (Brachiaria decumbens) on slopes, in combination with geotextiles. Besides recuperating a degraded area, income has been generated to poor people, who live around Sacave´m gully, either by producing the geotextiles or by applying them on the soil, together with grass seeds, lime and NPK to improve soil properties.