Texas Forest Service Teaches Austin Students About Forests and Water

The Texas Forest Service Water Resources Program recently visited Austin to participate in the 2012 Austin Water Science Expo.

The two-day annual event is organized by Austin Water Utility and hosts around 2,000 5th and 6th grade students from AISD. Students learn about the role of water, both as a natural resource and as a public utility, and consider water related issues from the watershed scale down to individual household use.




Donna Work and Chuck Coup explained the importance of healthy forests in maintaining water quality and discussed the impacts that wildfires can have on water resources. A demonstration showing the importance of riparian vegetation and Streamside Management Zones (SMZs) was also conducted using a rainfall simulator model to illustrate the forest-water relationship.

This was the 18th year for the event. Texas Forest Service is already looking forward to participating again next year.