The Role of National Forest Lands in Improving Watershed Health through the Watershed Condition Framework

Covering 450 million acres and encompassing over 15,000 subwatersheds, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USFS) Watershed Condition Framework (WCF) is significant in scope and potential to help communities and the USFS safeguard our nation’s drinking water, rural livelihoods, and natural environment. As the Agency’s first nationally consistent reconnaissance-level approach for classifying watershed condition and targeting programs of work in priority watersheds, the WCF is fostering integrated ecosystem-based watershed restoration and improving nation-scale reporting of restoration accomplishments. This presentation will review the six-year history of the WCF, accomplishments to date, and the role that our nation’s forests play in providing clean and abundant water for millions of Americans. 

(PowerPoint presentation and video not available per speaker request)