Patent ID: 7681353

Claim:
An erosion control medium for reducing erosion of a ground surface, formed from the dried spray-application on the ground surface of a slurry comprising a blended mulch product and water, the erosion control medium comprising: (a) ligno-cellulosic fibers; (b) substantially straight synthetic fibers each having a straight ratio (D not :D max ) of at least about 3:5 to about 1:1; wherein D max represents a maximum potential distance of a particular synthetic fiber having a first end point and a second end point, with the first and second end points located at opposing ends of an elongated portion of the particular synthetic fiber, the maximum potential distance being measured along the elongated portion of the particular synthetic fiber when the particular synthetic fiber is completely straight; and wherein D not represents a notional shortest distance between said end points; and (c) a tackifier; wherein the erosion control medium forms a substantially homogenous open weave matrix on the ground surface and wherein the presence of the substantially straight synthetic fibers does not increase a dry tensile strength of the erosion control medium as compared to an erosion control medium without the substantially straight synthetic fibers.