Estimated Erosion from Clearcut Timber Harvests in the Southeastern United States

Abstract

Abstract Timber harvests with inadequate forestry best management practices (BMPs) can accelerate soil erosion, which has been associated with reductions in water quality and site productivity. Previous studies affirm positive water quality effects accrued by harvesting with BMPs. However, few studies document erosion rates and masses associated with harvest and access network features (e.g., decks, roads, skid trails, stream crossings) across different southeastern regions. This research evaluated 109 recent harvests across eleven southeastern states and three topographically different regions (Coastal Plain, Piedmont, and Mountains). Descriptive statistics of erosion for harvests and access features were developed from USLE-Forest model estimates. Harvests and access network areas were used in conjunction with erosion averages to calculate total erosion masses. Across the southeast, combined network features averaged nearly 12% of total harvest area yet produced approximately 48% of total site erosion due to disproportionately higher erosion rates. Regional differences indicated that the Mountain region had an average overall erosion rate of 6.8 t/ac/yr, whereas the Piedmont and Coastal Plain sites had lower average erosion rates of 2.7 and 2.2 t/ac/yr, respectively. Results suggest that additional BMP implementation strategies may be beneficial for erosion control from roads, skid trails, and stream crossings, particularly in erosive landscapes.