Hot off the press: Water, Forests and People report and policy brief

In conjunction with the 2015 World Water Week in Stockholm, Swedish Water House today launched a report and a policy brief, both themed “Water, Forests and People”.

KEY LESSONS LEARNED

• Forests play a crucial role in the hydrological cycle, influence the amount of water available, regulate surface and ground- water flows and maintain high water quality.
• Forest landscape restoration could be instrumental in significantly reducing poverty in rural areas.
• Sweden’s massive forest restoration project, which started more than a century ago, has built a thriving natural resource base from largely depleted forests.
• An enabling institutional and policy environment, and involvement of stakeholders, have been important features for the successful restoration of the Swedish forest landscape.
• The Swedish forest resource base has valuable experience and knowledge in sustainable forest management and restoration.
• There are still areas in need of improvement in Swedish forestry and water resource management.
• The formation of the Swedish National forest programme as well as the revival of the Swedish Policy for Global Development provide opportunities to develop a Swedish policy for enhanced and coordinated participation in, and contribution to, the urgent restoration of global forest landscapes, and integration of water resource management.