What Kind of Grass to Plant to Stop Erosion?

Suitability

• Grasses exhibit several traits that make them fine choices for erosion control in the right context. They are vigorous growers, sprouting – depending on the type – from seed, from lateral runners or both. Their fibrous, densely matted root systems are extensive, often containing far more biomass or living tissue than the aboveground stems and leaves. Such root mats are excellent for securing soil, as exemplified by sod-forming grasses like the big bluestem or western wheatgrass of the American prairies. Also, grasses tend to be quick-growing, so they can swiftly establish themselves to begin anchoring vulnerably exposed ground.

Natives

• Whenever possible, select grasses indigenous to your region to plant for erosion control. From a practical standpoint, native grasses have the advantage of being fully adapted to the local climate and soils, requiring minimal maintenance to thrive. In a semiarid climate, for example, planting native bunchgrasses means you don’t need to heavily irrigate to keep the ground cover alive – a significant plus from the perspective of both cost and water conservation. Furthermore, propagating natives helps limit, at least partly, the invasion of non-native, highly opportunistic “exotic” grasses that easily spread and diminish biodiversity.

Examples

• A great choice for revegetating degraded ground in the Great Plains is a native species called buffalo grass. Historically one of the most widespread and dominant grasses on the shortgrass plains, buffalo grass can swiftly cover bare ground because it spreads with aboveground runners called stolons, which sprout new leaves along their length. The common name partly reflects buffalo grass’ popularity as bison forage, but, as Lauren Brown notes in “Grasslands” (1998), it is also appropriate because the grass’ terrestrial spreading makes it a pioneering colonizer on the raw dirt created by a bison wallow (once numerous across the interior grasslands of North America). Buffalo grass is widely used as lawn turf.

  The Minnesota Department of Agriculture, meanwhile, recommends grasses native to the tallgrass prairies, like big bluestem, Indian grass and switchgrass, for erosion control in the Midwest. Farther west, on the Columbia Plateau of eastern Washington and Oregon, bunchgrasses like Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass and Great Basin wild rye are excellent options.

Assistance

• The best grass to use in stabilizing erosion-prone ground depends greatly on the topography, microclimate and other characteristics of the given location. State extension services are excellent resources to find out candidate species suitable for the situation. Staff there can often direct a landowner to seed suppliers as well. Nonprofit native-plant societies, widely distributed in the U.S., can also frequently be of service for those interested in using indigenous grasses for their project.