In addition, trees can reduce and moderate local ambient temperatures, thus reducing energy demand for artificial cooling during peak pollution months. Finally, forests sequester carbon from the atmosphere, helping to offset human-caused climate change effects on a global scale. Forests help maintain watershed health and resilience by moderating peak stormwater discharges that might otherwise scour banks, harm wetlands, and deposit substantial quantities of sediments into the aquatic environment. Forested watersheds, by holding water, improve the base flow of streams and rivers, thus effectively increasing the quantity of water available for human use and for instream aquatic habitat. Trees also moderate water temperatures, improving habitat quality for fish and other aquatic life.
Forests provide essential habitat for birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates.
Many plant species and fungi are especially adapted to the region's forest habitats. Forest watersheds are also essential for many fish species and aquatic invertebrates, by maintaining water temperature, water quality, and flow. Intact areas of forest are critically important to forest-nesting species such as migratory songbirds, which require large areas of forest cover to reproduce successfully. These can contribute to the economy on a continuous and sustainable basis if forest lands are managed as a renewable resource. Woodlots add value to farms in additional products available for sale or on-farm use.