Steward Water Resources
Your woods and riparian areas (the strips of land next to streams, rivers, or other bodies of water) play an important role in protecting clean water.
Water and rain flowing through a forest is filtered as it seeps through soils rich with organic matter, removing impurities and replenishing groundwater supplies. Trees and vegetation reduce erosion by stabilizing soil, keeping sediment out of rivers and streams, and ensuring clean water for both wildlife populations and human communities.
Why It Matters
When soil is left bare or roads are poorly placed, rain can wash pollutants straight into bodies of water. That kind of runoff harms fish, wildlife, and local drinking water sources.
How you manage your land can make a real difference for water quality - impacting your property and countless others downstream, as well as the health of forest ecosystems, wildlife, and water-dwelling creatures.
Simple Management Steps
What does it look like to manage for water quality? Here are a few examples of ways to manage your land for water quality:
- Leave or reestablish a strip of trees and plants (aka "riparian buffer") along creeks and streams
- Protect soil from erosion during tree harvesting or land clearing
- Build trails or access roads on flatter areas and away from water
- Use gravel or mulch on paths to prevent ruts and runoff
- Plant grasses or native plants to stabilize eroded spots
Good forest management doesn’t have to be complicated. Small actions like these help keep Tennessee’s water clean—and they protect the health and value of your land for the long run.
So What's Next?
Use the resources linked below to learn more about water quality and management strategies.
Reach out to your local TDF area forester for advice and guidance or to request a property visit. Area foresters can help you assess the condition of the water resources on your land, help you identify things that may be negatively impacting water quality, and offer guidance to protect and improve water quality on your land.