Forest to Faucet
Did you know the water from your faucet could be naturally filtered by a forest, instead of by a water treatment plant?
Clean water is one of many forest products that benefit humans, and 25 percent of America’s fresh water comes from privately owned forests.
“When Americans turn on the faucet,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in 2009, “most don't realize the vital role that our rural lands—and especially our forests—play in ensuring that clean and abundant water flows out of that faucet.”
Forest to Faucet
is one of many student activities available in the new Project Learning Tree (PLT) high school curriculum
Exploring Environmental Issues: Focus on Forests
.
This educational guide teaches students about forest health, fresh water supply, our changing climate, who owns America’s forests, and more.
PLT’s hands-on classroom lessons and field investigations help students develop an understanding and appreciation for stewardship and informed decision-making on issues that affect forests.
Students may use the
Forest to Faucet
activity to evaluate the extent to which their own community’s water supply is affected by forests and forest management.
Check out Project Learning Tree’s Focus on Forests Activity #6, Forest to Faucet, to learn more about clean water, your watershed, and student activities.
You may also want to visit http://www.plt.org/plt-in-your-state to learn more about PLT in your state.
Photo credit Flickr's EMSL.
