The Environmental and Socio-economic Contribution of Palm Geotextiles to Sustainable Development and Soil Conservation

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Geotextiles are materials which simulate vegetation and thus protect the soil from erosion, which is a tremendous global problem. We can construct geotextiles from artificial materials (e.g. plastics) or biogeotextiles can be produced from plant fibres, such as palm leaves. Palm leaf geotextiles offer considerable potential to contribute to global sustainable development and soil conservation. In the tropics and subtropics, their use would promote sustainable and environmentally-friendly palm agriculture, labour-intensive employment, small and medium enterprise (SME) development and earn hard currency. In the industrialized world, they may assist the stabilization of complex slopes. Field and laboratory studies suggest biogeotextile mats constructed from palm leaves are an effective, sustainable and economically-viable soil conservation technique. The three-year (2005-08) EU-funded BORASSUS Research Project (Contract number INCO-CT-2005-510745) is evaluating their long-term effectiveness in controlling soil erosion and assessing their sustainability and economic viability in 10 countries in Europe (Belgium, Hungary, Lithuania and the U.K.), Africa (The Gambia and South Africa), South-East Asia (China, Thailand and Vietnam) and South America (Brazil). The technique offers potentially novel bioengineering solutions to environmental problems, including technologies for soil conservation, sustainable plant production and use of indigenous plants, improved ecosystem management, decreasing deforestation, improving agroforestry and cost-effective biogeotextile applications in diverse environments. Palm geotextiles may improve socio-economic foundations for sustainable development and the benefits for developing countries may include poverty alleviation, engagement of local people as stakeholders, employment for disadvantaged groups, small and medium enterprise (SME) development, earning hard currency, environmental education and local community involvement in land reclamation and environmental education programmes.

Stream: Environmental Sustainability

Paper: A paper has not yet been submitted.

Michael A. Fullen is Professor of Soil Technology at the University of Wolverhampton, UK. His research activities are mainly concerned with soil erosion, soil conservation, desertification and desert reclamation and his fieldwork is mainly based in Europe and Asia. He has published widely in soil science (as of January 2008, he has authored one book, 132 refereed papers, 148 conference papers and 23 consultancy reports). He is a referee for 26 journals and a member of the Editorial Board of the journals ‘Geomorphology’, ‘The World Association of Soil and Water Conservation’ (WASWC,) ‘The African Journal of Agricultural Research’, ‘The Lithuanian Journal of Science (Agricultural Sciences)’ and ‘The Open Journal of Geology’. Professor Fullen has received research grants from over 25 institutions, principally the European Union. He is also Vice-President and UK Representative on the Council of the European Society for Soil Conservation (ESSC) and Editor-in-Chief of the ESSC Newsletter. Professor Fullen is also WASWC Vice-President, Councillor and Representative for the UK. Further information is available at the following web site:
http://myprofile.cos.com/m.fullen