Communicating the Forest-Water Connection
Nacogdoches, TX - Water is essential to all living things. This basic necessity is being increasingly diminished in the Western U.S. due to droughts and increased demand due to population growth. The State of Texas divides what we consider the West and the South and serves as a warning to other Southern states of what could be to come. Keeping Forests is striving to protect southern forests by supporting private landowners whose forests provide clean air and water, recreational opportunities, wildlife habitat and forest products.
Why Does Texas Have Water Problems?
As approximately 1,000+ new people move to Texas every day, Texas is going through its worst drought since 2011. Nearly 30 million people rely on aquifers and rivers for drinking water. Water is a resource needed for more than just drinking water.
It’s needed to grow the food we eat, to produce industrial products, and to maintain human hygiene - from taking showers to flushing toilets. In Texas, 2.3 billion gallons of water are used by Texans for domestic consumption, EVERY DAY. As the need for water increases, so does the cost to clean it. This is where forests can help.
How Do Forests Filter Water?
“Forests are like a Brita-filter,” said Jon Scott, Program Director of Southern Forests for the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). “They help filter nutrients and sediment out of water and help to regulate flooding. They really provide a number of functions to protect water.”
According to the USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station, more than 90 percent of surface drinking water comes from state and private forest lands across the U.S. South.
Texas has a total of 2,824 surface drinking water intakes in which a portion of the water is provided by state and private forest (S&PF) lands.
Almost 62 percent of the Texas population is served by surface drinking water supplies, with Texas SPF lands providing drinking water for 16.7 million people (59 percent of the state population).
Texas S&PF lands provide more than half of the drinking water supply for 2.4 million Texans
Taken from ‘Benefits of State and Private Forests Lands in Texas’ by USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station - Cumulative frequency of population served according to percentage of water coming from Texas SPF lands.
Maintaining forest cover in key watersheds ensures safe, reliable drinking water for current and future generations. Targets vary by watershed, but typically a 60 percent forested watershed will provide ample protection for source water. And management is important to those forested areas, according to Robert Speight, Environmental Manager for Northeast Texas Municipal Water District.
“Creating streamside management zones (SMZs) is not only good for keeping pollutants out of the water, but it reduces the temperature of the water [due to reduced sunlight] and keeps dissolved oxygen levels up,” said Speight. “SMZs are great for protecting water quality for drinking water and aquatic life.”
What Happens if We Lose Forestland?
Urbanization and land use change could have a drastic impact on privately owned forests. According to the Southern Forest Futures Report published by the USDA Forest Service, the U.S. South is expected to lose between 11 and 23 million acres of forestland by the year 2060, primarily as a result of increased population and urbanization. That’s equivalent to a land mass the size of South Carolina.
Without these forests, we lose a huge economic driver, leading to loss of rural jobs, as well as crucial habitat for wildlife. Keeping Forests was created in order to bring public and private partners together to slow this forestland loss. United together, we aim to catalyze market-based solutions that help landowners keep their land in forests.
Who is Leading the Way?
Organizations like the Southeastern Partnership for Forests and Water are vital in educating the important parties for water conservation. They work with partners across the U.S. South to create opportunities to bring together forestry and water professionals so they can learn more about each other and work together to achieve common goals.
Having clean, healthy, and productive forest ecosystems is so important to the Texas Forestry Association. TFA promotes a healthy political and economic climate by encouraging sustainable forest management which provides clean water, clean air, diverse wildlife habitat and products that enrich all our lives.
Other groups, like state Rural Water Associations, are working with state legislators to aid water conservation through policy. Forestry conservation organizations are also providing immense benefit by empowering private landowners to better manage their land for the future of our water resources.
“Although the southeastern United States is often considered water rich, we are not exempt from water quality and quantity issues,” said Laura Calandrella. “It is clear that there is no single organization or solution that can keep pace with the complexity of water challenges. Partnerships equal strength. They allow us to be responsive to changing circumstances while also harnessing the expertise, networks, and innovation of diverse interests. This is how we ensure the future health and security of this vital resource.”
To view the Texas Forests & Water Forum Attendee Report - CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD
Resources:
https://www.neefusa.org/weather-and-climate/weather/home-water-use-united-states#Texas
https://www.wri.org/insights/3-surprising-ways-water-depends-healthy-forests
Zach Clifton
Keeping Forests Communications Specialist
Zach supports Keeping Forests via its partnership with the Georgia Forestry Association. Zach and the other communications staff at GFA lend support to the partnership both strategically & tactically.
