NEW RESTAURANT GOES TOPLESS AND BOTTOMLESS!
The builders of a new Red Robin Restaurant in Castle Rock, Colorado exercised sound
sustainable design, and environmentally friendly, development principles when they called for the use of 100% biodegradable temporary erosion control blankets (ECBs) for their project.
Normally this specification would be met with blankets constructed with wood excelsior, or
straw, or 70% straw/30% coconut blend, or 100% coconut fibers. Such blankets are typically stitched on top only, or top and bottom, with layers of woven jute thread nettings.
Compared to traditional plastic nettings, woven nettings have been shown to pose less of a threat for entrapment of small birds and mammals, are less likely to get entangled in mowing equipment, and reduce tripping hazards to the public. However, there can still be problems associated with the use of netted blankets in areas of wildlife habitat, high levels of foot traffic, or maintained turf subject to early mowing operations.
For the project the contractor selected a revolutionary 100% biodegradable wood excelsior ECB, which completely eliminates the potential disadvantages of all types of netting. The ECB consists of 100% weed seed free Great Lakes Aspen excelsior fibers stitched into a three dimensional matrix using biodegradable rayon thread, without the need for nettings of any type on either the top or bottom of the blanket.
Additional suggested applications include shoreline rehabilitation, wetlands restoration/replacement, and riparian habitat restoration where the potential for wildlife entrapment concern is the greatest. Golf course, park, and school site construction projects are also ideal locations for its use, since these types of development normally exhibit a high level of foot traffic and site managers are often anxious to begin early mowing to promote rapid establishment of turf grasses to allow public use as soon as possible.
The product is Curlex® NetFree™ and is manufactured by American Excelsior Company, Arlington, Texas 1-800-777-7645.
