NRI was hired to
complete the first
phase of a 10 year
pilot program
designed to allow
Landfill Owners and
Land Planners the
opportunity to
observe which of the
selected plant
material will best
survive the harsh
conditions on a 3:1
landfill slope.
NRI’s initial task
involved grading the
1.4 acre site and
installing 160 tall
pots. This
project was NRI’s
first foray into
revegetation using
tall pots which are
increasingly being
utilized in
situations where
supplemental
permanent irrigation
is not an option.
In order to reduce
plant stress we
supplied each plant
with 5 quarts of Dri-
water which will
continuously supply
the plants with
water for up to 30
days. Next we
installed sediment
wattles horizontally
at 35’ intervals.
This was necessary
to slow the sheeting
effect that will
occur on the 3:1
slope during the
monsoon season.
2 different seed
mixes were then
hydroseeded on the
slopes so that each
seed mix could be
observed for
hardiness. The
final and most time
consuming step was
to place two
different types and
sizes of landscape
rock on the upper
and lower plateaus
so that the rock
could be spread on
top of the hydroseed.
NRI has been
contracted to
replace the Dri-water
at 30 day intervals
for a 3 month
period.
EPG, NRI and
Waste Management
will observe the
plant material over
the next few months
to decide the best
course of action for
the next
demonstration area
which will occur on
the next bench up
the slope from our
initial
installation.
On July 23,
2009, NRI hosts
ASU's Ecological
Restoration class at
Butterfield Landfill
Revegetation
Demonstration
Project. Steve Plath
and Patty Cascio led
ASU's Ecological
Restoration class on
a tour of our
revegetation site at
the Butterfield
Landfill. This
demonstration
project spotlighted
the use of plants
grown in 30" tall
pots in order to
create an extended
root to shoot ratio.
Dry-water was used
to sustain the
plants through the
winter but these
plants have not had
any supplemental
water for 8 months.
Currently 97% of the
plants have survived
through a brutal
Arizona summer
including the
hottest July on
record. The straw
wattle installation
held up very well
considering only one
monsoon event
occurred and 1 1/2"
or rain dumped on
the landfill over a
very short period of
time. Waste
Management and NRI
will continue to
observe the
revegetation plot
and make
recommendations for
the next phase of
the demonstration
plot which will be
installed the fall
of 2010.
Butterfield
Demonstration
Picture Gallery
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Butterfield Landfill
Demonstration Project
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