About twice or three times a year, usually when talking about
hugelkultur and how to make a nice steep slope, I reference this
video about adding structure to earth to increase the structural integrity while also increasing the angle of repose.
Figure it needs its own
thread so it's not so hard to find.
The idea for hugels is that you can jab sticks and stuff that you're already mulching with into the soil in the side of the hugel to hold the loose stuff together while the
roots are growing into place. Eventually, by the time your sticky bits break down, it will hold itself together pretty well and only need minor periodic maintenance.
I think there are also some good images of this sort of thing in the
Berm Shed movie.