Human activities have a big effect on natural erosion. Erosion is when soil and land wear away, which can change how the land looks and harm the environment. Here’s a closer look at some key ways people impact erosion:

1. Farming:

   • When farmers use heavy equipment and practices, it can harm the soil.
   • In the UK, about 2 million tons of topsoil are lost each year because of these traditional farming methods.
   • Growing crops can speed up erosion. When plants that hold the soil are removed, erosion can get up to 100 times worse in some places.

2. City Development:

   • Building cities changes the land a lot.
   • Surfaces like roads and buildings do not absorb water, which can cause more runoff and lead to erosion in nearby natural areas.
   • Studies show that erosion in cities can be 2 to 5 times worse than in rural areas because of how water drains differently.

3. Cutting Down Trees:

   • When forests are cleared for wood or construction, it removes natural defenses against erosion.
   • Research shows that areas without trees can experience erosion 10 to 20 times more than forested areas.
   • The UK lost about 1.3 million hectares of forests from 1970 to 2018, which affects soil stability and makes it easier for erosion to happen.

4. Mining:

   • Mining disturbs large parts of the land.
   • In some cases, erosion can increase by 50 to 100 times in areas where mining occurs.
   • In the UK, mining has damaged landscapes and changed how sediment moves in nearby rivers and streams.

5. Climate Change:

   • Climate change caused by humans alters rainfall patterns and leads to more extreme weather events, making erosion worse.
   • Experts predict that coastal erosion along UK shores could rise by 10 to 30% by 2050 due to these changes.

In simple terms, the ways people act can speed up erosion, damaging land and making it more vulnerable to problems caused by erosion.