Maintain or restore hydrology

Carbon cycling in forests is strongly dependent on the abundance and movement of water within forest ecosystems ; adequate soil moisture is necessary for maintaining growth and productivity of forests, while trees help regulate rainfall by recharging atmospheric moisture through transpiration and regulating soil moisture through cooling the ground surface and enhancing soil infiltration. Projected changes in precipitation and temperature are expected to alter hydrologic regimes through changes in streamflow, snowpack, evapotranspiration, soil moisture, infiltration, flooding, and drought. In addition to a changing climate, hydrology can be altered by infrastructure (e.g., dams, roads, and other impervious surfaces), groundwater extraction, stream channelization, or invasive plants. Some ecosystems many be susceptible to carbon loss from drought stress, from either direct effects on vegetation or indirect impacts, such as reduced tree resistance to pest attacks. Other ecosystems may be susceptible to carbon losses from damage due to flooding, ponding, or soil losses from erosion. It is important to keep in mind that modifications to maintain hydrology at one site may have negative impacts on hydrology at another site.

Many forestry practices work directly and indirectly to maintain the integrity of ecosystems in the face of climate change in order to sustain the functions those systems provide. These land management practices seek to preserve or improve soil nutrient cycling, hydrologic functioning, and vegetation characteristics, and wildlife and insect populations that support productive and healthy forests that store and continue to sequester carbon. This adaptation strategy seeks to sustain or enhance ecological functions to reduce the impacts of a changing climate on forest carbon stocks.