Soil and water resources
Conservation and maintenance of soil and water resources has been identified as one of the key criteria for sustainable forest management in Australia. Forests cannot exist without water, soil and nutrients. Many forest catchments also provide an important source of drinking water for towns and cities.
Photo: istock
Forests managers recognise that the long term productivity of a forest includes maintaining an appropriate level of soil oxygen, nutrients and organic matter as well as the forest’s capacity to produce clean water. The construction of access roads and infrastructure for timber production, and harvesting activities can all negatively impact soil and water resources.
Good planning before harvesting to establish buffers along streams ensures the protection of water quality. Forest managers are quick to regenerate a forest after harvesting so that soil moisture and nutrient levels are maintained. This also helps reduce the likelihood of soil erosion, silting of streams and disruption to stream flow rates.
Case study – Forests and water
Forest NSW
Photo: David Barnes/Forests
NSW Image Library
Forests are often at the headwaters of catchments and play a filtering role to maintain downstream water quality and supply. Forests NSW water quality monitoring team is undertaking long term trials to compare water quality and quantity in harvested and non-harvested catchments in State forests.
First commenced close to 30 years ago, with additional research designed in conjunction with the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change, the program is focused on determining identifiable impacts on water quality and/or quantity from forestry operations and if so, to quantify the level of that impact.
Study results suggest that harvesting in native forests and pine plantations can have a slight but hardly noticeable impact on suspended sediment concentrations and turbidity for six to twelve months, after which it is not noticeable. In State forests on the mid North coast of NSW, eight research catchments have been monitored since 1976. Researchers are assessing the effects of thinning and harvesting programs on stream flows to determine the best harvesting practices to maintain water values.
For more information about forest research visit NSW Department of Primary Industries website.
