Topic outline

This course is intended to provide on overview of forest and water relationships, and an understanding of the impacts of changing landscapes on water resources. It can be used as a stand-alone course for those interested in learning about the forest-water nexus, or as an introduction for those who will engage in workshops using the FAO capacity development facilitation guide on Advancing the Forest and Water Nexus.

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This e-learning course is intended for a cross section of audiences at various levels, from policy makers, forest, water or land managers and practitioners who wish to know more about the forest-water nexus.

  • Basic relationships between trees, forests and water 
  • The role that forests play in regulating water quality, quantity and timing 
  • Environmental, economic and socio-cultural benefits resulting from forest-water relationships 
  • Effects of land use changes on water quality, quantity and timing  
  • The importance of including water considerations in sustainable forest management

The course consists of 2 lessons, ranging from approximately 45 to 60 minutes duration each: 

  • Lesson 1 - Introducing forest-water relationships 
  • Lesson 2 - Understanding the impact of changing landscapes on water

The online version of this course runs on the latest versions of the major browsers, such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari.

The downloadable version only runs on Windows PC’s and no additional software is needed.

Digital certification

This course offers certification. You will get your digital badge upon passing a final exam after completing the course and achieving a grade of at least 75%. Please click on the button below to complete the exam, or refer to our Certification section to learn more.

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