WWW 2018 – Understanding the Forest-Water Nexus: redefining the narrative?

Water security is one our greatest challenges. Trees and forests are imperative for water flows. Integrated land-water management, including the strategic management of forests and landscapes with water considerations, will be crucial for resilient water supply. Approximately 75% of available freshwater sources come from forested watersheds (MEA, 2005). Despite the importance of forests as natural infrastructure, water is not a management consideration for 75% of forests worldwide (FAO, 2015).

Forests and their water-related ecosystem services can provide cost-effective, natural solutions to address growing water scarcity. It is estimated that forests as green infrastructure for water can cost less than USD 2 per person per year, which is offset by savings from reduced water treatment (World Bank, 2012; Abell et al., 2017).

This event will discuss the prevailing narratives surrounding forests and water: the myths, the complex truths and the implications our understanding has on practice and policy, and vice versa. It aims to bridge the divide between the water and forest sectors and suggest next steps to better integrate forests in water management and water in forest management.

Venue: FH 307
Venue Address: City Conference Center, Folkets Hus, Barnhusgtan 12-14, Stockholm
Venue URL

Programme

Welcome (5 min) – Lotta Smauelson, SIWI

Keynote: Forests and Water – redefining the narrative (10 min) – Irena Creed, University of Saskatchewan

Keynote: Championing forests and water (10 min) – James Dalton, IUCN

Panel Discussion (30 min) – Lotta Samuelson, SIWI

Building forest-water capacity (15 min) – Elaine Springgay , FAO

Q&A (15 min)

Conclusion/Wrap up (5 min) – Lotta Samuelson, SIWI

Organiser

• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
• International Union for Conservation of Nature
• SIWI Swedish Water House
• International Union for Forest Research Organization