permaculture

[Elfpermacl@aol.com]

There is a book called Bioengineering put out by Univ. of Alberta, translation
from the German, that covers such matters.  I was looking through it for a
design I'm doing in Paraguay--wan't to make sure I didn't forget any
options--and I looked through for your problem too.  Called crib walls, this
method is exactly as described and the author recommends, as I did, using
rocks and plantings to stabilize the wall as all organic matter rots
eventually.

Remember your permaculture and do not depend on only one species, though the
aspen is a good one.  There are alders that should hold, and probably edible
plants--thicket forming plants are good--wild plums, jujube, etc.  And throw
in some Nitrogen fixers, which probably means Robinia.  The book has species
lists and you might consider getting a copy.  I thinn U-AB is in Edmonton.

For Mother Earth, Dan Hemenway, Yankee Permaculture Publications (since 1982),
Elfin Permaculture workshops, lectures, Permaculture Design Courses,
consulting and permaculture designs (since 1981), and annual correspondence
courses via email.  Copyright, 1998, Dan & Cynthia Hemenway, P.O. Box 52,
Sparr FL 32192 USA  Internships. YankeePerm@aol.com  

We don't have time to rush.

A list by topic of all Yankee Permaculture titles may be found at
http://csf.colorado.edu/perma/ypc_catalog.html
Elfin Permaculture programs are listed at the Eastern Permaculture Teachers
assn home page: http://home.ptd.net/~artrod/epta/eptahmp.html