HomeMy WebLinkAbout2_Wildlife_Friendly_Erosion_ControlWFEC Fact-sheet – MN DNR 2013 (acc.)
Wildlife Friendly Erosion Control
Wildlife entanglement in, and death from, plastic netting and other man-made plastic materials
has been documented in birds (Johnson, 1990; Fuller-Perrine and Tobin, 1993), fish (Johnson,
1990), mammals (Derraik, 2002), and reptiles (Barton and Kinkead, 2005; Kapfer and Paloski,
2011). Yet the use of these materials continues in many cases, without consideration for wildlife
impacts. Plastic netting is frequently used for erosion control during construction and landscape
projects and can negatively impact terrestrial and aquatic wildlife populations as well as snag in
maintenance machinery resulting in costly repairs and delays. However, wildlife friendly erosion
control materials do exist, and are sold by several large erosion control material companies.
Below are a few key considerations before starting a project.
Know Your Options
Remember to consult with local natural resource
authorities (DNR, USFWS, etc.) before starting a
project. They can help you identify sensitive areas
and rare species.
When erosion control is necessary, select products
with biodegradable netting (natural fiber,
biodegradable polyesters, etc.).
DO NOT use products that require UV-light to
biodegrade (also called, “photodegradable”). These
do not biodegrade properly when shaded by
vegetation.
Use netting with rectangular shaped mesh (not
square mesh).
Use netting with flexible (non-welded) mesh.
Know the Landscape
It is especially important to use wildlife friendly
erosion control around:
o Areas with threatened or endangered species.
o Wetlands, rivers, lakes, and other watercourses.
o Habitat transition zones (prairie – woodland
edges, rocky outcrop – woodland edges, steep
rocky slopes, etc.).
o Areas with threatened or endangered species.
Use erosion mesh wisely, not all areas with
disturbed ground necessitate its use. Do not use
plastic mesh unless it is specifically required. Other erosion control options exist (open weave
textile (OWT), rolled erosion control products (RECPs) with woven natural fiber netting).
WFEC Fact-sheet – MN DNR 2013 (acc.)
Protect Wildlife
Avoid photodegradable erosion control
materials where possible.
Use only biodegradable materials
(typically made from natural fibers),
preferably those that will biodegrade under
a variety of conditions.
Wildlife friendly erosion control material
costs are often similar to conventional
plastic netting.
Literature Referenced
Barton, C. and K. Kinkead. 2005. Do erosion control and
snakes mesh? Soil and Water Conservation Society
60:33A-35A.
Derraik, J.G.B. 2002. The pollution of the marine
environment by plastic debris: a aeview. Marine
Pollution Bulletin 44:842-852.
Fuller-Perrine, L.D., and M.E. Tobin. 1993. A method
for applying and removing bird-exclusion netting in
commercial vineyards. Wildlife Society Bulletin
21:47-51.
Johnson, S.W. 1990. Distribution, abundance, and
source of entanglement debris and other plastics on
Alaskan beaches, 1982-1988. Proceedings of the
Second International Conference on Marine Debris
331-348.
Kapfer, J. M., and R. A. Paloski. 2011. On the threat to
snakes of mesh deployed for erosion control and
wildlife exclusion. Herpetological Conservation and
Biology 6:1-9.