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Soil erosion by John Dobree Pascoe, 1940. Alexander Turnbull Library. MNZ-1893-1/4-F
Soil erosion by John Dobree Pascoe, 1940. Alexander Turnbull Library. MNZ-1893-1/4-F

Description

One of the more severe impacts of removing forest cover from hill country (as this photograph shows) is erosion. Erosion occurs when topsoil and pasture is removed by flooding, and or storms and then is washed away by streams and rivers. Frequently there is also damage to roads, fences and bridges. Eroded farm land can often take over twenty years to fully recover. As early as 1853 a newspaper reported severe erosion on the East Cape and that a landslide had killed a family, and left, “the whole house… completely imbedded in the soil.”

Discussion

What are some ways used today to control erosion on hilly farmland?

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