Toyo-Mulching System(TMS) is an innovative vegetation system, which makes it possible for natural vegetation to grow on non-soil slope surface such as shotcrete slope. Toyo first introduced TMS to Hong Kong in 1999. It mainly focused on the planting of grass and ground cover on the non-soil slope. Since its application in March 1999 in the trial panel in the campus of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the performance of TMS is proven sound and excellent for vegetation cover on steep non-soil slopes. The project of Princess Margaret Hospital, using Toyo-Mulching System, was awarded "2002 Outstanding Greening Award” by Leisure and Cultural Services Department, HKSAR and “Excellent in Technology 2003” by International Erosion Control Association, USA.

The design of Toyo-Mulching System combines the concept of geo-synthetic, bioengineering and horticulture. The selection of geo-synthetic mat is to secure planting medium on the steep slopes and prevent the medium from being washed out in rainstorm. The natural fiber soil named Soil-Factor can effectively retain moisture and provide nutrients to enhance roots development which could also improve the bioengineering strength of fiber soil. The selection of suitable plant can provide low maintenance and full coverage vegetation throughout the year. Besides, the healthy vegetation cover can minimize the sunlight evaporation of the planting medium such that the maintenance cost can be minimized.

In recent years, Toyo was awarded many projects which areas covered the slopes of the highways, residential developments, water catchment slopes. Amongst those completed projects, the slopes are steep in gradient, the working spaces for the storage of heavy machinery are limited and the access roads are narrow. It is foreseeable that the maintenance is difficult to be carried out in future. Nevertheless, the work process of the Toyo-Mulching System is simple, the materials are difficult to be washed out, and the full establishment of the selected plant species is the criteria for the selection of vegetation system from the client. Hence the Toyo-Mulching System is widely adopted along the slopes of different Government departments.

Completion Date : November 2000