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Please note!
This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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FACT BRIEF

Is deforested land more prone to landslides?

By Lisa Freedland
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YES

According to research published in 2019 by the American Geophysical Union, the reduced evaporation and weakened root reinforcement of soil caused by deforestation can increase the chances of a landslide.

Studying the relationship between landslides and different types of forest alterations, researchers found that “large and interconnected deforested tracts” caused large landslides that occurred within a few years. Smaller-scale forest conversion was associated with smaller landslides but the risk of a landslide extended to more than 10 years after the initial deforestation.

A researcher from Oregon Wild, an organization dedicated to protecting Oregon‘s wildlands, found that on average, clearcuts (deforested areas) exhibited landslide rates 13 times higher than in forested areas.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
AGU Pubs: Deforestation effects on rainfall-induced shallow landslides—Remote sensing and physically-based modeling
Oregon Wild: Landslides and clearcuts —What does the science really say?
Sciencing Sciencing: The effects of deforestation on mudslides
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Gigafact
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.