The investigation of soil loss problems in Duzce forest roads

This study was conducted to investigate the soil loss problems from the forestroads of Duzce Forest Enterprise. Subjects that negatively affect the naturallandscape, such as erosion, landslide, weathering, torrent and flood were studied.For this purpose, 70 temporary sample plots were taken from the study area. Soiland bedrock samples were also taken from 27 sample plots to determine the theirproperties.The sample plots were taken from the skid roads, cross forest roads? platform,dig and fill slopes and also from the places where the culvert missing or insufficient.To estimate the amount of the loss soil, some of the measurements were done on thesites where great amount of soil losses determined. Transverse sections ofincomplete culvert were measured and tried to determine the availability of theculvert on the site. The sites where need culvert were found out and first of all thetransverse sections of culvert were estimated for these sites.It was found that the soil survey of the forest roads of investigation siteshasn?t been done and the road systems plans were missing, insufficient and notavailable. Soil losses were seen especially on the dig slopes and also on the roadplatform, fill slopes and edge ditches.Soil analyses showed that the soils of the study site were sensitive to erosionto erosion and this sensitivity was increased by the human activity. Eleven of the 27bedrock samples were vulnerable to erosion and the others were not.There were statistically significant correlations between dispersion rate andNa and pH properties of the soil. However, the correlation between dispersion rateand the other soil characteristic (organic matter, CaCO3, Ca, Mg, K, P, Fe, Cu, Zn,Mn, field moisture, wilting point, available moisture, sand, silt, clay) were notstatistically significant.Key words: Forest roads, soil loss, landscape, soil property