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Soil Scarification (with Seeding)

soil scarification post fire

 

What – Hand tools or mechanical equipment are used to break up and loosen topsoil to increase surface roughness.

Purpose – Intended to break down hydrophobic layer, prepare seedbed, and increase infiltration rate.

Effectiveness – Generally, this treatment did not provide significant improvement (e.g., reduced sediment yield) as compared to no treatment (Rough 2007).

Where

  • Areas of high- and moderate-burn severity.
  • Slopes with high erosion potential.                                                            

Cost – $245–300 per acre for hand crew; $50 per acre for ATV use.  Additional factors include:

  • Location and access

How to Links – See USDA BAER Catalog page 60 (PDF page 68); and NRCS Mechanical Scarification Fact Sheet.