Contribution of forestry support to water quality and quantity

This evaluation report is part of the ongoing evaluation of the Nordrhein-Westfalen (NRW) 2014-2022 Rural Programme Programme (RDP). It examines the extent to which forest support measures contribute to water balance and water quality, making specific reference to the Common Evaluation Question (CEQ) 9: To what extent have RDP interventions supported the improvement of water management, including fertiliser and pesticide management?

The report focuses specifically on the measures ‘forest conversion’ (M8.51), ‘soil protection liming’ (M8.52) and ‘nature conservation measures in the forest’ (M8.54).

Methodologically, the report is based on the assessment of funding data of the forestry measures and literature analyses.

The funding data were provided by the federal state of Nordrhein-Westfalen and contain information on the size of the forest and the area on which a measure was implemented (CMEF output indicators), as well as the amount of funding.

First, the evaluation includes a detailed analysis of the supported measure in order to identify the relevant funding shares in terms of water quality and quantity. Second, an analysis of the spatial distribution of the supported measures is carried out in order to examine the extent to which the support is also provided in areas where measures need to be taken.

As regards limitations, it is mentioned that in some cases, the funding data for forest conversion measures (M8.51) contain information on the initial and target forest cover, and the share of conifers. However, since these are not complete, a calculation with these data is not carried out.

The evaluation concludes that during the reporting period 2015-2020, 3% of the forest area in Nordrhein-Westfalen was supported by the RDP, namely forest restructuring measures were carried out on 8 866 hectares (ha), soil conservation liming took place on 18 588 ha and nature conservation measures were supported on 469 ha.

The forest conversion measures and soil protection liming are suitable to support the improvement of water quality and quantity. The implemented measures aim, in particular, at the development of stable deciduous and mixed stands as well as the structural improvement of soil litter and soil and nutrient balance of forest soils to increase the resilience and stability of forests, which has a positive effect on the water balance and quality. However, it must be noted that the problem of nitrogen saturation and acidification of forest soils cannot be solved by silvicultural methods alone and these can only make a small contribution. The main influencing factor is emissions from agriculture.

Nature conservation measures are special species protection measures. Due to the small size of the area, there are no direct impacts on water.

General support for the forest's ecosystem services is a task for the future that goes beyond EAFRD funding in Nordrhein-Westfalen. Looking into the future is a continuing concern, and the accumulation and intensification of extreme weather conditions, such as heat and drought as a result of climate change, cannot be excluded.