Glossary
Water Quality Improvement Easement
- Helps secure long-term access through and to a property for the purpose of remediating the effects of abandoned mine drainage [source: Pennsylvania Land Choices, An Educational Guide, Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources in partnership with Pennsylvania Land Trust Association]
Watershed
- All of the land area that drains toward a specified body of water, such as a stream, river, lake or bay. The watershed for a river is made up of a number of smaller watersheds defined around streams that drain into the river.
Watershed Association
- An organization dedicated to the protection and safeguarding of a designated watershed.
Waterways/Wetlands Encroachment
- In Pennsylvania, a structure or activity that changes, expands or diminishes the course, current or cross section of a watercourse, floodway or body of water. (DEP, Title 25, Chapter 105, Dam Safety and Waterway Management) [source: DCNR State Forestry Resource Management Plan, Glossary of Terms: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/sfrmp/glossary.htm]
Waypoint
- Points used to mark particular locations, typically used as markers along the "way" to somewhere. They are either key entered by users or downloaded from other sources, depending upon the sophistication of the device. Although not linked to tracks or routes, they can be used to simplify the construction of routes, by being able to be re-used. Frequently, waypoints serve a "safety" purpose, enabling a route to be taken around obstacles such as shallow water (marine navigation) or streams/cliffs/other hazards which may prevent a safe passage directly from point "A" to point "B".
Wetlands
- Areas that are inundated by surface or ground water with a frequency sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do or would support, a prevalence of vegetation or aquatic life that requires saturated or seasonally saturated soil conditions for growth and reproduction. [source: DCNR State Forestry Resource Management Plan, Glossary of Terms: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/sfrmp/glossary.htm]
Wetlands Reserve Program
- A voluntary program offering landowners the opportunity to protect, restore, and enhance wetlands on their property. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides technical and financial support to help landowners with their wetland restoration efforts. The NRCS goal is to achieve the greatest wetland functions and values, along with optimum wildlife habitat, on every acre enrolled in the program. This program offers landowners an opportunity to establish long-term conservation and wildlife practices and protection. [source: Natural Resource Conservation Service: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov]
Wildlife Corridor
- A band of vegetation, usually older forest, which serves to connect distinct sections of a wildlife habitat and allows for the passage of wildlife from one area to another. Also known as Green Corridor. [sources: Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_corridor and DCNR State Forestry Resource Management Plan, Glossary of Terms: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/sfrmp/glossary.htm]
Windbreaks
- A living barrier of trees or combination of trees and shrubs located adjacent to a farmstead, field, feedlot, or other area to protect soil resources; reduce wind erosion; conserve energy or moisture; control snow deposition; provide shelter for livestock or wildlife; or increase the natural beauty of an area; also called field windbreak, feedlot windbreak, or farmstead windbreak, depending upon the intended use. [source: Natural Resource Conservation Service, Kansas: http://www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov]
Working Forest Conservation Easement
- A conservation easement placed on a working forest. All forests “work” by providing wildlife habitat, clean air, clean water, beautiful surroundings, etc., but a “working forest” is one that is actively managed using a forest stewardship plan as the roadmap or guide. This is in contrast to an easement that is commonly called “forever wild”, where forest harvesting is prohibited so that nature can take its course. It is also different from an easement with no harvest restrictions at all.
Working Forest Conservation Easements (WFCEs) do more than restrict specified development rights on a property. WFCEs can protect forest values by assuring sustainable forest practices and encouraging long-term land stewardship, all in accordance with the goals and objectives of the easement grantor (the donor or seller of the easement). And, WFCEs can enable landowners to continue to derive economic value from the land through the harvest of forest products, good and services, to support the ongoing costs of ownership and stewardship. [Source: Maryland Cooperative Extension, Working Forest Conservation Easements: A Primer for Forest Landowners, 2002]
