USGS soil erosion study site, Kawela, Molokai by Richard Palmer

Gigapan Beta2 with Canon S5-IS

The United States Geological Survey(USGS) is conducting a soil erosion study in a highly disturbed area along the east rim of Kawela Gulch on Moloka`i. This area, once dryland forest, has been greatly impacted, first through cattle grazing, and now by large herds of feral goats. The lack of plant cover leads to massive erosion that carries silt into Kawela Stream and into the Pacific Ocean, smothering near shore reefs and destroying sensitive marine spawning grounds. This long term study will document water and silt runoff in a control, unfenced area, compared with a fenced area that will prevent grazing by feral ungulates, and allow plant recovery.
This gigapan, gigapan.org/viewGigapan.php?id=15058 , puts the site into a larger context.