Kentucky State University Cooperative Extension Connections

Manisha Parajuli, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Forestry, Kentucky State University Richard Cristian, Ph.D., Extension Specialist & Regions Bank Endowed Associate Professor of Forest Operations, Auburn University

Soil erosion is the detachment, transport, and loss of soil particles from the land surface by agents such as rainfall, surface runoff, wind, or human disturbance. In forestry, soil erosion is an important concern on timber harvest sites because harvesting activities can disturb the soil surface and increase the risk of soil loss and sediment movement into nearby streams and waterways (Parajuli et al., 2022; Picchio et al., 2021). Over time, various approaches have been developed to estimate soil erosion rates (Table 1). This info sheet provides an overview of soil erosion prediction on forest land and offers guidance on using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) to estimate potential erosion rates following timber harvest operations. This info sheet is intended for forest landowners, foresters, logging professionals, and natural resource managers who are interested in assessing erosion risk on forest harvest sites. By understanding erosion risk, they can select and implement appropriate Best Management Practices (BMPs) to minimize soil loss, protect water quality, maintain site productivity, and reduce environmental impacts associated with harvesting activities (Parajuli et al., 2024; Rijal et al., 2023). Table 1. Soil erosion assessment methods.