Innovative environmental management specialists Global Road Technology (GRT) have teamed up with leading New Zealand company, RST Environmental Solutions (NZ), to play a leading role in helping an area of New Zealand, recently ravaged by one of the worst bushfires in the country’s history, to begin the path to recovery with one of GRT’s key erosion control products.
The fire was so intense that a state of emergency was declared in the Nelson-Tasman areas, as it raged across some 2300ha (5700 acres) with a 25km radius. Roughly 3,000 people were evacuated from the Wakefield and Pigeon Valley areas on the northern tip of the South Island of New Zealand. Any remaining root mass in the soil had been destroyed and the soils had become hydrophobic, so any significant rain would have caused large scale erosion. Rob Coulson and his team at RST Environmental Solutions (NZ) were tasked to come up with an erosion control system that would stop sediment getting into the waterways and the sea, which was only a short distance away.
GRT: Enviro Binder, a non-toxic and environmentally friendly product, was selected by RST Environmental Solutions as the best option to help with erosion control over a large area of sensitive terrain. The result was the largest aerial application of an erosion control product in the history of New Zealand, if not the world. Our New Zealand distribution partner DuraVeg, a part of PGG Wrightson Turf, supplied the GRT: Enviro Binder to the project. DuraVeg offers New Zealand sustainable erosion and revegetation products and services and are at the forefront of innovation, delivering complete environment rehabilitation and erosion control solutions to meet the demanding characteristics across the New Zealand landscape.
GRT General Manager Daniel Grundy said: “GRT was proud to be part of this critical, environmental protection and rehabilitation project. The Nelson bushfire was a devastating event that left hundreds of hectares exposed to erosion – GRT: Enviro-Binder was a key part of the initial stabilisation of these areas.”
The first task was to over sow the area with grass seed to get some root mass in to the soil and top cover to stop rainfall impact damage. This was done on the 13th of June by air with two fixed wing aircraft.
The second task was to apply a polymer to the greater than 30-degree slopes.
“This was a real team effort. In conjunction with Rob Coulson, his team, and our local distributor DuraVeg/PGGW Turf, we were able to provide an innovative product solution for an exceptionally challenging project. Full credit to Rob and Jason from RST Environmental Solutions (NZ) for their insight, courage, project management and delivery skills,” added GRT General Manager Daniel Grundy.
Global Road Technology – GRT are an international, engineering technology company focussing on providing innovative products and solutions for the mining, civil, agricultural, land development, and environmental management sectors. GRT’s industry leading technology is proven to drive process efficiency, deliver sustainable infrastructure outcomes, and improve community health, safety and environmental outcomes.
RST Environmental Solutions is New Zealand’s leading expert in erosion control and bio-engineering. We take pride in giving our clients the best possible service and products backed up by decades of knowledge and experience.
DuraVeg is at the forefront of innovation delivering complete environment rehabilitation and erosion control solutions to meet the demanding characteristics of Australasian environments. Our research and development driven approach helps to deliver cost effective, environmentally friendly revegetation solutions.
For more information, contact Global Road Technology.
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