Trial run of willow fascines – strong enough to sit on
We’re doing a bit of experimental work making willow ‘fascines ‘ for a potential client in Cambridgeshire. This is an interesting diversion and work so far suggests that we will be able do the business using a mix of living sallow, Salix caprea, and a couple of our plantation-grown willows (species and varieties yet to be decided).Fascines are continuous bundles of sticks, tied with cord and are well-proven, world-wide, in river bank stabilisation work, drainage, path and culvert creation ; they’re just new to us.
In this case, the fascines will be woven around large sallow stakes (also living), to create a barrier built into a river bank. The theory is that the initial structure is strong enough to hold the unstable bank in place whilst the live willow strikes in the spring, and throws a huge mass of root into the bank. The roots hold the bank together in future and everyone is happy.
This all sounds very exciting and we’re dead keen to get the go-ahead.