Custom Requirements No Problem For Revegetating New BNSF Rail Lines Project Profile: Railway Corridor Work Upgraded to Hydro-Blanket ® BFM North Dakota’s Bakken oilfields experienced a boom in production in 2013. With oil prices soaring, production of crude was reaching 2 million barrels per day. Pipeline infrastructure was not in place at that time, requiring 95 percent of the oil to be shipped via rail. The single rail line into the region was quickly overtaxed, prompting The Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad to begin construction on a second rail line. As the track project got underway, considerations for erosion control and site revegetation were subcontracted to Sherbrooke Turf, and the project specifications called for double-net erosion control blankets. Owner David Sherbrooke, however, knew that blankets would be far too time-consuming and labor-intensive to be economically feasible. With that in mind, Sherbrooke submitted a hydraulically applied Bonded Fiber Matrix (BFM) as a superior alternative to the specified blankets. “With the size and scope of the project, blankets were simply never going to produce the results or efficiencies of using BFM,” said Adam Popenhagen, market development manager for Profile Products. Save time, save money Sherbrooke knew that the BFM would deliver better erosion control, but would also provide enhanced growth performance and save substantial time and money. BNSF quickly agreed to the material change with one caveat: Any BFM that was to be used on the project had to meet BNSF’s signature orange color; a tough task for any manufacturing company. Profile immediately got to work on testing different colors that would be suitable for the task at hand. The approved product also was required to meet the North Dakota DOT BFM specification of 90% wood fiber, 9% natural binder and 1% organic and mineral activators—a specification met by Profile’s Hydro-Blanket ® BFM. What began as a daunting task for blankets, became a much faster and easier project with the use of hydraulic erosion control products. Second phase upgrades Profile, along with distribution partner, Ramy Turf, became deeply involved in the 100-mile project. Sherbrooke was brought in for consultation and fine-tuning of the Hydro-Blanket’s orange color. Tight timelines and difficult terrain were just two of the challenges facing Sherbrooke’s crews. Work stoppages to allow trains to pass, close scrutiny from the general contractor and even monthly visits from BNSF’s most famous investor, Warren Buffett, kept crews on their toes.