Sam Krop and Andrew interview Dr. Betsy Herbert, an environmental scientist and published author who has expertise in researching how forest management impacts drinking water. She is also an active volunteer for North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection and Forest Waters Watch.
Betsy describes how she started in this work, the importance of forests for providing quality drinking water and what is happening in Oregon drinking watersheds that are dominated by short rotation industrial forestry. Betsy also provides nine excellent examples of policy changes to Oregon’s Forest Practices Act that would increase protections for drinking water.
You can get involved by providing public comment that asks for increased protection for drinking water coming off Western Oregon State Forests through the Department of Forestry’s Companion Western Oregon State Forest Management Plan and Implementation Plans project.