Erosion Control

Erosion Control in a forest ecosystem is accomplished by a variety of mechanisms: tree and plant root systems that hold soils in place; biomass that falls on the forest floor to become mulch; dams that form around boulders or fallen trees.

Healthy forests have a combination of varied ages and species of plants, fish and animals that have different but compatible water and nutrient needs. They hold complementary stocking levels of each to feed forest soils that hold root systems in place. These root systems in turn hold the soils in place to prevent them from being washed downstream or blown away by winds.

As soil erosion often directly affects watersheds, see also Ecosystem Services: Water Quality