Soil Bioengineering is a low-tech method of construction using living plants, or plants in combination with non-living organic or inorganic materials, such as coir, jute etc. The living plant becomes in a fairly short period of time the functioning technical component of the system. For instance, in erosion control systems, leaves, stems, and roots shield and bind the substrate to prevent erosion. Systems can also be designed for water quality treatment, sediment accumulation, flood control, or to provide habitat on difficult sites. Eventually, bioengineered constructions become an integral part of the landscape.  

Bioengineering techniques aid in the establishments of plant communities on sites where disturbance has caused instability. The practice brings together biological, ecological, and engineering concepts to produce living, functioning systems. Bioengineering utilizes the inherent strengths of a site to protect itself, rather than focussing only on weaknesses.  

Once established, vegetation becomes self-maintaining. When living plants are impacted  by a major force, such as flooding, or conditions are altered by sediment accumulation, plants are capable of regeneration and adaptation. People have taken advantage of the stabilizing properties of plants for hundreds of years, especially in Europe where bioengineering in its simpler forms is a mainstay of construction practices.