Water Resources

Water is common to all forestland. Forests do not grow well where there are long term droughts during the growing season. The excess water that flows off of any forest other than specially commissioned areas to collect water is taken as a free public good. This is as it should be in a sustainable rural based society. However, in an unsustainable money value based society such a declaration by any but the owner stands as a taking of a right that accrues to that property by others without compensation.

Current government policy and expected future governmental efforts to hone the depth of this taking are going to place many forest owners and all sustainable practitioners in a very bad financial position. While it is recognized that one is not likely to be able to stop the loss of unused water from a property, it is not appropriate for wealthy consumers to expect to be able to pollute the earth with their consumptive habits and to have forest owners willingly supply them with free water.

The expected USEPA declaration of forest activity as a "point source" for water pollution is one of the expanding threats that will hang heavily over normal forest owners.

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Most recent revision: March 24, 2007