Water, Air and Soil

Water is one of the most important natural resources flowing from forests. The Forest Service manages the largest single source of water in the U.S. with about one-fifth originating from 193 million acres of land which provides drinking water to 180 million people every day. A network of water and watershed resource specialists support stewardship efforts at all levels of the organization to promote healthy, sustainable watersheds fundamental to ecosystems and people. Forest Service 'Watershed' includes the areas of Watershed Restoration, Water Rights, Water Quality, Hydrology, Ground Water, Riparian, and Wetlands. Each watershed area has a program leader assisting field scientists in attaining watershed priorities and managing resources from a healthy ecosystem perspective.

Air is another critical resource for humans, plants, animals and all other organisms within a natural area. Air must be monitored in order to control and lower pollution levels, control smoke caused by wildland fires, and to monitor air quality. The Forest Service monitors the effects of air pollution that may impair visibility, harm human health, injure trees and other plants, acidify or cause unnatural fertilization of streams and lakes, leach nutrients from soils, and degrade cultural resources, like archeological sites and historical buildings. Forest activities that can affect air quality such as prescribed burning, ski areas, and mining are also monitored to ensure compliance with air regulations for human health and to monitor possible impacts to natural resources.

Soil provides nutrients, water, oxygen and heat to natural land areas.  Understanding the ability and capacity of soil to support an ecosystem plays an important role in land management decisions.  

“The history of every Nation is eventually written in the way in which it cares for its soil.”

~ Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Statement on Signing the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, 1936

Learn more about the Fishlake National Forest's Ecosystem Programs including Hydrology, Fisheries and Aquatics, Botany and Wildlife programs here