Gabions
Gabions are wire mesh boxes, containers or baskets filled with rock to prevent soil erosion and to retain/contain soil particles. 
Gabions are wire containers made of hexagonal wire netting. They reduce water velocities and re-capture river bed sediment in streams. Flat Gabions, called River or Reno Mattresses are widely used in river courses where soil erosion is a problem over a wide flat area and a large area needs to be protected against soil loss/scour.
They are used mostly in the civil engineering industry especially in the construction of roads, however recently due to their environmental benefits are being used in many various applications and industries.