Environment

Ecosystem Services Market Development

More than 23 million acres across the U.S. South are at risk for conversion by 2060 if current population trends continue, according to the U.S. Forest Service. A loss of these forests would have drastic impacts on water treatment costs.

Healthy, well-managed forests lead to safe and reliable drinking water, less water treatment, and less energy and chemicals used in drinking water treatment process. By paying forest landowners for these water cleaning services (or, ecosystem services), water users and providers can exponentially reduce their costs.

HEALTHY FORESTS = CLEAN WATER

2/3

of Georgia’s land area is covered by working forests

65%

of Georgia watersheds flow through forests

57%

Of Georgians depend on water from forests

Research: Understanding Payments for Ecosystem Services

In 2021, GFF led the launch of the Forests & Water Connection Initiative, with support from Keeping Forests and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities, to conduct a stakeholder analysis to identify the ecosystem services market that works best for Georgia forest owners and water users in four Georgia watersheds: Upper Oconee, Middle Chattahoochee, Lower Flint and Lower Savannah.

Key outcomes: Engaging more than 350 individuals in focus groups within each watershed, the research team produced key insights on the effectiveness and cost of various conservation mechanisms, comparing and contrasting land acquisitions, long and short term conservation easements, management agreements.

Click the button below to access the full report, titled Understanding Payments for Ecosystem Services: Opportunities for Forests, Water and Private Landowners in Georgia and the Southeastern United States from the Dovetail Partners.

ACCESS THE REPORT

Case Study: Savannah River Clean Water Fund Documentary

The Savannah River Clean Water Fund is an ecosystem services project that includes portions of Georgia and South Carolina along the Savannah River. We recently partnered with Keeping Forests to produce a short documentary titled The Forest Filter, which highlights the structure and success of this important partnership.

Why this is important: The regionally renowned program includes a broad group of stakeholders, including five drinking water utilities participating as buyers in efforts to sustain the local forests’ ability to provide water ecosystem service benefits for communities and companies operating in the Savannah River Watershed.
What is next: GFF continues to work with partners in Georgia to advance partnerships that support the development of financial mechanisms that support the conservation of forests by recognizing the value that forests provide to reducing treatment costs for water.

“Our investments in healthy forests today lead to higher quality drinking water in our communities tomorrow.”

DAVID LAFRANCE, CEO OF AMERICAN WATER WORKS ASSOCIATION

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