ABSTRACT
The use of live plants to add structural strength to a soil mass is often termed bioengineering. That term, however, covers a broad range of sciences, many of them dealing with medical applications. The discussion which follows is limited to applications involving the environment. Historical records show that as early as the 12th century in China, plantings were used to stabilize slopes. Earliest documented use in the US is about a century ago. This practice almost disappeared a half century ago, with the development of sophisticated slope stabilization and erosion control procedures, concurrent with more efficient field equipment. In the last two decades, however, the practice has been growing again, due in large part to the current interest in protecting the environment, and recreating natural habitat destroyed during construction.
