This review discusses the use of biodegradable natural hydrogels in tissue engineering, controlled release, and soil remediation. The article highlights the importance of hydrogels as scaffolding materials that mimic the physical and biochemical properties of natural tissues, as well as their potential for water storage, nutrient delivery, and pollutant adsorption. It summarizes recent advances in natural biodegradable hydrogels, emphasizing the opportunities provided by degradability and tunability for their design and application. The review covers degradation mechanisms, including surface and bulk degradation, bond cleavage points, and various degradation pathways such as hydrolysis, solubilization, oxidation, photodegradation, and enzymatic degradation. It also discusses the properties of natural biodegradable polymers such as starch, cellulose, chitosan, alginate, and gelatin, their degradation mechanisms, and their applications in tissue engineering, controlled release, and soil remediation. The review highlights the importance of degradability and tunability in the design of hydrogels for biomedical and ecological applications. The article also discusses the applications of hydrogels in tissue engineering, including their use as scaffolds, cell encapsulation, wound dressing, drug delivery, and biosensors. It emphasizes the need for biodegradable hydrogels with non-toxic degradation products for biomedical and ecological applications. The review concludes with a discussion of the potential of biodegradable hydrogels in tissue engineering and their applications in controlled release and soil remediation.This review discusses the use of biodegradable natural hydrogels in tissue engineering, controlled release, and soil remediation. The article highlights the importance of hydrogels as scaffolding materials that mimic the physical and biochemical properties of natural tissues, as well as their potential for water storage, nutrient delivery, and pollutant adsorption. It summarizes recent advances in natural biodegradable hydrogels, emphasizing the opportunities provided by degradability and tunability for their design and application. The review covers degradation mechanisms, including surface and bulk degradation, bond cleavage points, and various degradation pathways such as hydrolysis, solubilization, oxidation, photodegradation, and enzymatic degradation. It also discusses the properties of natural biodegradable polymers such as starch, cellulose, chitosan, alginate, and gelatin, their degradation mechanisms, and their applications in tissue engineering, controlled release, and soil remediation. The review highlights the importance of degradability and tunability in the design of hydrogels for biomedical and ecological applications. The article also discusses the applications of hydrogels in tissue engineering, including their use as scaffolds, cell encapsulation, wound dressing, drug delivery, and biosensors. It emphasizes the need for biodegradable hydrogels with non-toxic degradation products for biomedical and ecological applications. The review concludes with a discussion of the potential of biodegradable hydrogels in tissue engineering and their applications in controlled release and soil remediation.