The value of Google Earth™ for erosion mapping

•Google Earth is a valuable tool for soil erosion mapping•It is a useful aid to field surveys•It is free and easy to use with frequent up-dating of good quality imagery.•The timing of imagery may not be ideal e.g. complete cover of the study area for 3 years between 2001 and 2015.

Google Earth™ (GE) has been used in several geomorphological contexts, especially in the study of river networks, glacial, coastal, landslides and desert landforms. In some cases, quantification is possible and landform-process relations can be inferred. GE has been little used in studies of contemporary soil erosion. This brief case study illustrates the potential for quick, free and accurate surveys that are particularly valuable as an aid to field work. The main drawback of GE is the arbitrary timing of imagery, in this case with only 3 years of complete coverage of the study area between 2001 and 2015.