The New York City Watershed Model Forests Revisited Five Years Later: An Assessment of Successes, Failures, and Challenges for the Future

The New York City Watershed Model Forests were established to demonstrate that working forested landscapes can be compatible with water quality. The Model Forests were designed to integrate education, research, and demonstration to a wide audience. Two of the four Model Forests are successful, serving the outreach and continuing education needs of forest stewards in the watershed. The other two Model Forests have confronted challenges stemming from the negative public perception of forest management. Explanations on successes and shortcomings, coupled with a survey analysis of model forest users, provide insight into the project's progression over the last 7 years.