Soil Erosion Risk and Mitigation Strategies in Steep and Complex Forest Ecosystems

The soil erosion risk on the slopes in Luong Son District, Hoa Binh Province, Vietnam, was determined to inform sustainable land management and conservation planning. Remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) technologies were integrated with the universal soil loss equation (USLE) model to generate thematic maps of rainfall erosivity (R), soil erodibility (K), topographic factors (LS), and vegetation cover. These maps were combined to produce a comprehensive soil erosion risk map. The results showed that 65.09% of the district (23,747.61 hectares), mainly flat and midland areas, had no erosion risk. Light, moderate, and severe erosion affected 19.95%, 7.61%, and 7.35% of the region, respectively. Higher erosion risk is concentrated in mid-level mountainous and limestone regions, characterized by steep slopes and sparse vegetation. These findings highlight the influence of slope gradient and length on erosion severity and spatial patterns. Remote sensing, GIS, and USLE were integrated to spatially assess soil erosion, providing a scientific basis for targeted interventions, such as reforestation and terrace farming. This study contributes to gaps in the literature by comprehensively analyzing spatial soil erosion risk and providing practical recommendations for mitigating soil erosion in vulnerable landscapes and supporting sustainable land use planning under climate change pressures.