Environmental Applications of Vetiver Grass: Phytoremediation and Nature-Based Solutions for Climate-Resilient Landscapes

Vegetation is a strong resource for scalable, climate-resilient infrastructure in mainstream disaster mitigation, but its potential is largely unexplored. This study identifies vetiver grass as a distinctive, dual-purpose bioengineering solution that successfully integrates ecological restoration with geotechnical stability. The study illustrates vetiver's significant ability to stabilize susceptible slopes and remediate contaminated land concurrently. In terms of geotechnical stability, vetiver is a natural alternative to traditional hard engineering, helping protect against the growing threat of landslides, directly or indirectly caused by climate change. Its root system promotes stability due to its dense, deep roots and good tensile strength, thereby providing both mechanical support and hydrological control. The roots make the soil stick together better, increase the friction angle and shear strength, and allow the soil to withstand greater ductile deformation. Vetiver's extensive root system acts like a natural sponge, absorbing moisture through evapotranspiration. This action lowers pore water pressure and prevents saturation, which is the main cause of slope failure during rain. It also improves soil water retention and air entry suction. Vetiver is a great plant for cleaning up contaminated soil and water, and it has developed a remarkable self-regulating mechanism that allows it to thrive in and detoxify environments contaminated with heavy metals (like Pb, Cd, Zn, As, and Cu), high salinity, and xenobiotics.