Forests and freshwater systems interact in many different ways: through soil stability and sediment load; fisheries and fish hatching; the impacts of different tree species on acidification of water; mitigation of incidence and severity of flooding from headwater catchments; management of downstream water logging and salinity; influencing the availability of water for irrigation systems; maintaining the quality of water for industrial purposes; and so on. Issues relate to the presence of forests, forest type, management systems and choices relating to afforestation and reforestation. Many of these interactions are complex and their precise nature and significance remains the subject of debate between hydrologists, natural resource economists and ecologists. In the following report, the focus is on one specific interaction: the role of forests, and particularly protected forests, in maintaining quality of drinking water for large cities.

Type of Case
Printed publication (book, sourcebook, journal article…)

Publisher
World Bank/WWF Alliance for Forest Conservation and Sustainable Use

Region
Global

Biome
All

Forest Type
All forest types (natural and planted)

Primary Designated Function
All