Forestry Applications in Water Pollution Control

Forest land provides sources of various kinds of water pollution most of which can be avoided by management alerted to the hazards. One particular pollution problem needing more attention is that of acid mine drainage. All the methods of preventing or abating this source involve forestry to greater or lesser degree; and a specific task of finding and adapting trees to the peculiar needs of revegetating lands disturbed by mining is a challenge to the profession. Policy needs to be clarified and stated clearly; it should consider the interactions of man and his total environment, which of course includes water pollution and its control. The position statement of the Soil Conservation Society of America bearing on this point is presented and discussed briefly.