Soil quality assessment is valuable for evaluating agroecosystem sustainability, soil degradation, and identifying sustainable land management practices. This study compared soil quality within culturally protected forest areas and adjacent grassland, grazing land, and farmland in Abo-Wonsho, Southern Ethiopia. A total of 40 soil samples (4 land uses × 5 replications × 2 soil depth layers: 0 to 10？cm and 10 to 20？cm) were collected for analysis. Soil textural fractions (i.e., sand, silt, and clay percentage) varied with land use and soil depths even though the textural class across all land use types was sandy loam. Bulk density, soil organic carbon (SOC), and available potassium (K) varied significantly: , , and , respectively, with land use and soil depth, but other indicators showed no significant difference. We conclude soil quality can be protected and maintained by improving existing land use practices within both agricultural and modern forest management areas. 1. Introduction Soil quality can be defined as “the capacity of a specific kind of soil to function within natural or managed ecosystem boundaries to sustain plant and animal productivity, maintain or enhance water and air quality, and support human health and habitation” [1]. It is usually considered to have three main aspects reflecting physical, chemical, and biological soil properties and is important for assessment of land degradation and for identification of sustainable land use practices [2, 3]. The main consequences of inappropriate land use changes are land degradation and soil quality deterioration through loss of vegetative cover, top soil moisture, infiltration capacity, water storage, soil organic matter, fertility, resilience, natural regeneration capacity, and a lower water table, factors that are critical for soil health [4]. Recent reports on land use and land management effects on soil quality have been documented particularly in relation to soil degradation and restoration in north west Thailand [5], visitors activities and management on the surface soil [6] and effect of long term cultivation [7] in Turkey, and the influence of agricultural management systems on soil biological quality in Spain [8]. Land use and management are influencing not only soil properties but also soil erosion processes. While unsuitable agricultural practices can cause soil erosion, on the contrary use of cover can reduce risk of erosion [9, 10]. There is also a growing interest in understanding and integrating local knowledge into natural resource management studies [11]. Local Indigenous
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