Similar names: gully plugging with stem cuttings, check dams from stem cuttings, brushwood check dams, live check dams

Gully rehabilitation with stem cuttings is an intervention that “plugs” particularly active gullies and streams by building check dams made of stem cuttings to control erosion and runoff. These living barriers are efficient in slowing down runoff water and stopping sediment buildup in the gullies. Field research has proven that they work well in soils of sandy/loamy texture, where the performances of these dams, made of tree stem cuttings, are greater than ones made of stone dams due to rooted poles and the stabilised root system of the living barrier.

Stem cuttings involve taking sections of woody stems from suitable plants and inserting them into the soil in a gully or erosion-prone area. These stems will develop roots and grow into new plants, helping to stabilize the soil and prevent further erosion. Stem cuttings are cost-effective and environmentally friendly, promoting natural vegetation growth, and enhancing biodiversity, and ecosystem health. They also provide erosion control once established, preventing further degradation of the gully.