Recent concerns over the durability and whole-life costs of systems such as steel and concrete, has focused attention on the self-repairing ability of vegetation, and its low-tech and low whole-life cost and maintenance requirements. The awareness of the beneficial effects of vegetation has been increasing within the civil engineering profession, and qualitative knowledge based on observations and experience has been augmented by field and laboratory testing throughout the world.

This book contains the papers from the recent international conference on vegetation and slopes and:

• clarifies the concepts and benefits of the use of vegetation on slopes
• reviews the current state of knowledge
• highlights practices which are of immediate relevance to slope design and management
• furthers the dialogue between engineering and vegetation science
• Co-sponsored by the British Geotechnical Society, the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology and the Oxford Forestry Institute, Vegetation and slopes will be of practical benefit to:
• engineers who need appropriate and cost-effective solutions for slopes
• clients, designers, planners and managers who wish to keep abreast of the state-of-the-art
• research workers in vegetation science and engineering who wish to bridge the gap between the two disciplines