Soil erosion is a problem in the UK. There are 'simple' ways to combat it

Soil erosion, a seemingly innocuous phenomenon, has been quietly carving its mark on the UK landscape, with repercussions that extend beyond the visible.

What exactly is soil erosion, and why should we in the UK be concerned? In the following sections, we'll delve into the intricacies of this environmental issue, explore its magnitude in the UK, and highlight its environmental and economic implications.

We'll also discuss viable strategies to counter this silent yet potent adversary.

Stay with us as we unearth the truths about soil erosion and its impact on our green and pleasant land.

What is soil erosion?

Soil erosion is a naturally occurring process that affects the Earth's surface.

When occurring naturally, it is water and wind that cause the soil erosion effect.

While erosion is a natural part of the soil cycle, human activities can significantly accelerate this process, damaging the environment.

The consequences of soil erosion include losing fertile land, increased flooding, and damage to aquatic ecosystems due to sedimentation.

Understanding and managing soil erosion is critical to maintaining our planet's health and sustainability.

Soil moves from here to there, it’s still there. What’s the big deal?

Waters running off a farm damaged by compacting onto a road way taking valuable top soil is a regular site across the UK’s countryside

Another way of framing soil erosion is to say that it’s displaced - it moves from one place to another. The soil isn’t lost in the sense that it disappears entirely. But soil is a vital resource to maintain that would be better if it stayed put. Soil holds three times as much carbon as the atmosphere, reduces the risk of flooding by absorbing water, is a wildlife habitat, and delivers 95% of global food supplies.

What are the top three causes of soil erosion in the UK?

The top three causes of soil erosion in the United Kingdom are intensive farming, urbanisation, and climate change.

While we said that soil erosion is naturally occurring, the current top three causes of this phenomenon in the UK are directly related to human activities. These causes of soil erosion are not mutually exclusive - more people require more land to build homes and infrastructure and more, which impacts the climate.

Let’s look deeper at these activities and how they cause soil erosion.

Intensive farming

Intensive farming practices can negatively impact soil health if not properly overseen. 

Intensive farming concentrated agricultural methods, including enlarged fields, heavier machinery, and a heightened focus on yield maximisation, bring the carbon content of soil down. Intensive agriculture has caused arable soils to lose about 40 to 60% of their organic carbon.

Changes to what is planted also threaten soil viability. For example, changes to subsidies paid to farmers have incentivised them to shift to growing maise for biofuel purposes, causing the land allocated to maise farming to triple since the early 1990s. Maise cultivation contributes significantly to soil erosion due to the crop's shallow roots and late autumn harvest. Consequently, maise fields account for up to 50% of river sediment where this crop is grown. 

On top of changes to agricultural practices and what farmers grow, urbanisation has changed farming's footprint in the UK. With farms being gobbled up for development, farmers, in turn, are converting orchards, natural grasslands, and wetlands, which are vital habitats for various rare species, into farmland.

Soil fatigue and less arable land due to increasing urbanisation are pressuring remaining farms to produce more from less.

A consequence of tiring out the land due to intensive farming, so it's less productive, is the increasing use of artificial nutrients pumped into the ground and onto crops. Fertilisers run off in the rain and wash into waterways. About 16,600 tonnes of pesticides and herbicides were used on British farms in 2016. Increased amounts of naturally occurring phosphorus and nitrogens have a very detrimental effect of its own called eutrophication.

Urbanisation

Increasing population and economic demands are fuelling more agricultural and rural land conversion into urban space. 

The pace of urbanisation shows no signs of slowing, with an average of 200,000 new homes emerging annually in the UK. Demand for new housing exceeds supply, and only around half of these homes are constructed on previously developed - or brownfield - lands. The construction of the rest of the houses is causing the sealing of soils, limiting soil's capacity to accumulate organic matter, including carbon, and to provide other crucial ecosystem services.

The loss of soil, once it occurs, significantly impedes its ability to perform its natural functions.

Climate change

Climate change is evident.

This previous summer may not reflect changes, but the UK average temperature has increased by nearly 1ºC compared to the 1961-90 average.

Increased temperatures will dry bare soil exposed to the elements due to crops quicker, making it more likely that valuable soil will be carried away in the wind.

Other changes attributed to climate change include higher rainfall during extreme storms and a rising sea.

When heavier rains fall, an overly dry and compacted soil just can't cope. The rain pounds into the ground, loosening and carrying away soil that isn't firmly rooted in place.

How much soil is eroded in the UK?

The escalating issue of soil degradation in the UK demands immediate attention due to its wide-ranging environmental and agricultural impact:

• Every year England and Wales loses 2.9 million tonnes of topsoil to erosion.

• England and Wales face soil erosion threats across more than 2 million hectares of land.

• Close to 4 million hectares of soil in England and Wales are at risk of compaction, compromising soil fertility, disrupting our water resources, and exacerbating the risk of flooding.

• The biodiversity within our soils and the myriad of biological processes and functions it sustains are believed to be in jeopardy.

What are the environmental consequences of soil erosion in the UK?

The United Kingdom's natural surroundings are witnessing a significant degeneration owing to soil erosion and degradation. This is primarily attributed to the intensification of agricultural practices and encroachment of urbanisation leading to the conversion of natural habitats for farming purposes. 

One of the severe implications of soil erosion is the release of carbon. It is important to note that UK soil holds approximately 10 billion tonnes of carbon, equating to 80 years of annual greenhouse gas emissions. Newer farming techniques have resulted in the loss of 40 to 60% of the soil's organic carbon. 

Soil erosion also significantly exacerbates flood situations and impairs the vitality of rivers and wetlands by depositing excess silt. In addition, there are far-reaching effects of erosion, including the siltation of waterways that jeopardises fish spawning areas and the yearly disposal of around 40 million tonnes of dredged material, partially consisting of eroded soil, into the sea. 

Furthermore, excess nitrogen, another byproduct of soil erosion, overstimulates the growth of aquatic plants and algae. This abnormal growth can deplete dissolved oxygen levels during decomposition and block sunlight from reaching deeper water layers.

What are the economic consequences of soil erosion in the UK?

The economic implications of soil degradation are undeniable, with an annual toll of £1.2 billion estimated in 2010 due to the decline in soil fertility and quality. Erosion alone annually accounts for an economic loss of approximately £177 million in England and Wales.

The cost of soil erosion extends beyond the reduction in agricultural productivity, causing:

• Deterioration of water quality, necessitating additional water treatment facilities

• Flooding and destruction of the built environment

Soil runoff polluting water bodies escalates the financial demand for water treatment processes.

As soil erosion exacerbates flooding, this threatens essential infrastructure by damaging property and roadways.

Nurturing soil health is a costly process involving the implementation of soil conservation techniques.

How to change the problem of soil erosion?

Soil erosion can be combatted by giving the soil something to cling to, preventing its removal or minimising disturbance by wind and water.

The simplest way to reverse soil erosion is to plant in the right space.

Above, we outlined the biggest reasons why soil erosion is happening in the UK - farming and urbanisation (climate change is a global problem that we need global buy-in to tackle). Protect Earth has worked with farmers and councils to help both groups minimise their effect on soil quality and erosion.

When protecting soil, simple changes to management practices can make a big difference. Interestingly, saving a little space around the perimeter of an agricultural field or the corners and planting hedgerows and wildflowers has multiple effects - it protects soil by buffering against wind and roots down the ground through its roots. Hedgerows also invite insects and creatures that positively affect soil and crops. Simply planting hedges and wildflowers can help reduce soil erosion and ward off soil degradation by nearly two-thirds. It is a far more cost-effective solution than pumping in fertilisers year in and year out.

A small amount of space given over to hedges can make a big impact on a farm’s vitality and help its soil.

When roads and buildings and all things of that nature are built, they generally have buffer space - observe the side of the motorway the next time you’re on one. These ‘ghost’ spaces can be filled with plants. They help clean the air, but they also stave off flooding.

Waterways flow through rural and urban areas. Stripping riversides bare of vegetation, rerouting rivers and reducing natural flood zones are massive contributors to flooding, causing soil erosion. For instance, an empty hillside can be eroded up to 1,000 times faster than one covered in vegetation. Looking to nature for solutions to the phenomenon that happens in nature is a good way of minimising flooding and living with it when it happens. We should be looking to restore river banks with plants that love soggy, muddy conditions to do the heavy lifting, preventing flooding and protecting built-up areas.

To sum up

Soil erosion presents a pressing issue for the UK, with environmental and economic repercussions.

The degradation of our land not only disrupts local ecosystems but also threatens the profitability of the agricultural sector and further costs money by impacting waterways and damaging built structures.

The collective effort of governments, businesses, and individuals can reverse the damage to secure (literally) the future of the UK.

Do you want to make a real difference and contribute to reversing soil erosion in the UK? By donating to Protect Earth's Biodiversity Fund, you'll actively participate in a change revolution. Your support will enable us to continue our efforts in planting and nurturing life-sustaining flora throughout 2023 and beyond. We believe in the power of green, and with your generous contribution, we can continue to transform landscapes, restore biodiversity, and safeguard our future. Be part of this essential change - donate today!