The form in the foreground is for a concrete strip that will create a neat, clean edge to the existing asphalt driveway.
The roll of strange material near the center of the image is jute mesh that will be spread over the ground to trap the soil and prevent it from being washed away in a storm. There are also rolls of wattle to trap any sediment that does run off the soil before it can get into the watershed. A layer of bark will cover the jute, adding further protection until the plants are large enough to cover the ground.