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.
- A helicopter covered 95 hectares.
- It took 5 days to apply 600 IBC loads to the site.
- Polymer was applied at 5% in 5000l of water using a modified bucket to ensure an even spread.
- Taraua Heliworks ensured the application went evenly over very rough and steep terrain. The exceptional skills of the pilot were critical to the quality and success of the application.
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.
About GRT
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.
About RST Environmental Solutions
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.
About DuraVeg / PGG Wrightson Turf
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.