Living approach (Bioengineering and Bio technical techniques)

• uses combinations of live vegetation and structural practices
• plants are seen from functional point of view, as an effective living construction material and used to create a protective structure.
• The live material can be used alone or combined with locally found materials (such as rocks, soil, etc) and/or technical building materials (net, iron rod, concrete, etc).

Reasons for using living approach

• Technical and functional,
• Economic: they are competitive and alternative structures to traditional civil engineering structures (e.g.: cement retain walls replaced by vegetated gabions wall).
• Naturalistic: re-establishment or initiation of natural ecosystems using native species;
• Landscaping