How do sustainable forest management practices affect water quality and quantity?

Sustainable forest management (SFM) includes a focus on maintaining and enhancing water quality and quantity, especially since forests shelter important river headwaters and groundwater recharge areas.

Sustainable forest management practices followed by TIR and other forest owners include a comprehensive program of state-approved water quality best management practices (BMPs) for forestry that are designed to protect water quality and habitat for aquatic organisms.

BMPs ensure forest management activities protect forest ecosystems and water resources by controlling soil erosion, managing surface water flows, and providing additional ecological safeguards. A large body of scientific evidence affirms the effectiveness of forestry BMPs to protect water quality.

Private working forest owners also make significant investments in restoring streams and removing or modifying human-made barriers to stream flow and fish passage. For example, forest road construction is highly technical, and forest owners make significant efforts to ensure that waterways are left unobstructed.