Indicator 1: The Status of Water Supply (Quantity and Timing) Within and From Forested Areas in Comparison to Reference Conditions.
Forests and landscape management play an integral role in influencing the quantity and timing of surface water and groundwater flows. Changes to tree and/or forest cover can have a significant impact on water resources, and related human activities, and vice versa. The quantity of water flowing from forested areas, including annual and long-term patterns, can be an indication of the quality of forest management and a good indicator of overall ecosystem health.
The sub-indicators under indicator 1 may be used to estimate changes in water flow into and out of a forested area, catchment or any other hydrological domain as a result of forest-related activities.