Wildlife friendly erosion control

Scope

If you will be evaluating the use of some type of erosion control netting to the site as part of your site stabilization, EPA encourages you to consider employing products that have been shown to minimize impacts on wildlife.

Regulatory citations

• 40 CFR Part 122 — EPA Administered Permit Programs
• 50 CFR Part 17 — Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants
• 50 CFR Part 29 — Land Use Management

Key definitions

• Biodegradable: The ability of a substance to be broken down physically and/or chemically by microorganisms. For example, many chemicals, food scraps, cotton, wool, and paper are biodegradable.
• Erosion controls: Erosion and sediment controls are measured which are used to reduce the amount of soil particles that are carried off a land area and deposited in a receiving water.
• Site stabilization: Is the process of implementing specific BMPs for the purpose of preventing soil from eroding. BMPs utilized for this purpose involve establishing a cover of some type over the exposed soils such as mulch, staked sod, riprap, erosion control blankets, or other material that prevents soil from eroding .

Summary of requirements

Wildlife safe materials are those that are 100% biodegradable, made from natural fibers, and use a loose weave (often called leno weave) that allow animals to wiggle free. To minimize wildlife entanglement and plastic debris pollution, choose temporary erosion and sediment control products that either do not contain netting, or that contain netting manufactured from 100% biodegradable non-plastic materials such as jute, sisal, or coir fiber. Degradable, photodegradable, UV-degradable, oxo-degradable, or oxo-biodegradable plastic netting (including polypropylene, nylon, polyethylene, and polyester) are not acceptable alternatives.

All netting materials used should have a wildlife-safe, loose-weave design with movable, non-welded joints between the horizontal and vertical twines, allowing the twines to move independently and thus reducing the potential for wildlife entanglement. Erosion control blankets and mats should be staked down to the ground and secured with wooded stakes and have the edges buried. Netting that is elongated (rectangular), not square, reduce wildlife entanglements. Avoid the use of silt fences reinforced with metal mesh or plastic mesh. When no longer required, temporary erosion and sediment control products should be promptly removed, usually as soon as vegetation establishes in the soil.

If you have questions about which erosion control products will effectively work for any given location, you should consult with a civil engineer or the erosion control product (ECP) manufacturer.

In summary, avoid these uses:

• Plastic netting of any type, including degradable, photodegradable, UV-degradable, oxo-degradable, or oxo-biodegradable, plastic netting, polypropylene, nylon, polyethylene, and polyester
• ECPs that are left in place beyond the immediate need for erosion control
• Silt fences reinforced with metal mesh or plastic mesh

Instead, try these wildlife friendly uses:

• Use natural fiber netting or no netting
• Materials should be 100% biodegradable
• Use loose weave, non-welded, movable jointed netting (leno or gauze)
• Rectangle (elongated) mesh is better than square
• Stake erosion blankets and mats to the ground so that all edges are secured with wooden stakes
• Bury edges of blankets and mats
• Remove ECPs as soon as they are no longer needed
• Hydraulically-applied Erosion Control Products