Title: The Development of a Soil Erosion Risk Map for Perak, Malaysia
Abstract: Soil erosion in the state of Perak has long been identified as a problem, and soil erosion due to water is one of the main causes of land degradation in this state. If this problem is not seriously addressed, it will result in soil erosion affecting a vast area and suitable soil erosion risk map has to be developed to ensure effective implementation of soil conservation in a particular area. The purpose of this study was to prepare a soil erosion risk map for the state of Perak which can be used to prioritize the areas that are highly exposed to soil erosion for conservation efforts. This study used the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) model integrated with a Geographic Information System (GIS) to produce a soil erosion risk map for the state of Perak. Soil erosion risk mapping was carried out using a map overlay of USLE parameters within Arc GIS which was used to identify risky areas for soil erosion and estimate soil loss in the study area. The results of the study showed that the risky areas for soil erosion were scattered all across Perak, especially on steep slopes. The development of this soil erosion risk map for Perak state is very important for conducting good environmental management and land use planning strategies.